By Corte H.B. No. 2984
77R3667 SMH-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the regulation of air conditioning and refrigeration
1-3 contractors and technicians.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 2, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
1-6 Contractor License Law (Article 8861, Vernon's Texas Civil
1-7 Statutes), is amended by amending Subdivision (9) and adding
1-8 Subdivision (15) to read as follows:
1-9 (9) "Air conditioning and refrigeration contracting"
1-10 means to perform or offer to perform the design, installation,
1-11 construction, maintenance, service, repair, alteration, or
1-12 modification of a product or of equipment in environmental air
1-13 conditioning, commercial refrigeration, or process cooling or
1-14 heating systems. The term includes obtaining or offering to obtain
1-15 necessary permits for the products, equipment, or systems.
1-16 (15) "Technician" means a person, other than an air
1-17 conditioning and refrigeration contractor, who, as a full-time
1-18 employee of an air conditioning and refrigeration contractor,
1-19 installs, services, or repairs environmental air conditioning,
1-20 commercial refrigeration, or process cooling or heating systems.
1-21 SECTION 2. Section 3B(a), Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
1-22 Contractor License Law (Article 8861, Vernon's Texas Civil
1-23 Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
1-24 (a) Unless the person is exempted under Section 6 of this
2-1 Act, a person may not perform air conditioning and refrigeration
2-2 contracting or act as a technician without an appropriate [a]
2-3 license under this Act.
2-4 SECTION 3. The Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor
2-5 License Law (Article 8861, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) is
2-6 amended by adding Section 4E to read as follows:
2-7 Sec. 4E. TECHNICIAN LICENSE. (a) A technician license must
2-8 be endorsed with one or more of the following endorsements:
2-9 (1) a system of more than 25 tons cooling capacity
2-10 endorsement;
2-11 (2) a chilled water/hydronics system endorsement;
2-12 (3) a refrigeration system endorsement;
2-13 (4) an absorption system endorsement;
2-14 (5) a cryogenic refrigeration system endorsement;
2-15 (6) an energy management system endorsement; or
2-16 (7) an indoor air quality system endorsement.
2-17 (b) The commissioner shall prescribe a separate examination
2-18 for each endorsement.
2-19 (c) An applicant for a technician license under this Act
2-20 must pass the examination relating to the endorsement for which
2-21 application is made and must:
2-22 (1) register with the commissioner and have at least
2-23 two years' experience installing, servicing, or repairing
2-24 environmental air conditioning, commercial refrigeration, or
2-25 process cooling or heating systems; or
2-26 (2) complete a training program approved by the
2-27 commissioner and have at least one year of experience installing,
3-1 servicing, or repairing environmental air conditioning, commercial
3-2 refrigeration, or process cooling or heating systems.
3-3 (d) A technician license entitles the license holder to
3-4 install, service, or repair only the type of system for which the
3-5 license is endorsed.
3-6 (e) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to
3-7 implement this section.
3-8 SECTION 4. Section 6(g), Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
3-9 Contractor License Law (Article 8861, Vernon's Texas Civil
3-10 Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
3-11 (g) A person who assists in the performance of air
3-12 conditioning and refrigeration contracting work under the on-site
3-13 supervision of a licensee is not required to be licensed.
3-14 SECTION 5. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
3-15 section, this Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
3-16 (b) A person is not required to hold a technician license
3-17 under Section 4E, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor
3-18 License Law (Article 8861, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), as added
3-19 by this Act, until March 1, 2002.
3-20 (c) The commissioner of licensing and regulation shall adopt
3-21 rules as required by Section 4E, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
3-22 Contractor License Law (Article 8861, Vernon's Texas Civil
3-23 Statutes), as added by this Act, not later than December 31, 2001.