By:  Zaffirini                                        S.B. No. 1212
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the examination for licensure as a chemical dependency
 1-3     counselor.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 504.157, Occupations Code, is amended by
 1-6     amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (d) to read as
 1-7     follows:
 1-8           (c)  An applicant who fails any part of the examination may
 1-9     retake the part of the [take a subsequent] examination the
1-10     applicant failed on payment of the required examination fee.
1-11     Except as provided by Subsection (d), an [An] applicant must pass
1-12     each part of the examination within four attempts.
1-13           (d)  An applicant who has failed any part of the examination
1-14     four times must provide evidence to the commission that the
1-15     applicant has successfully completed at least 25 hours of remedial
1-16     college course work or its equivalent as determined by the
1-17     commission.  An applicant who satisfies that requirement may take
1-18     the part of the examination the applicant failed [may not be
1-19     reexamined more than] three additional times.
1-20           SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act to Section
1-21     504.157, Occupations Code, applies to a person whose first attempt
1-22     to pass an examination under Section 504.156, Occupations Code,
1-23     occurs before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.  A
1-24     person who failed an examination or part of an examination under
1-25     Section 504.156, Occupations Code, before the effective date of
 2-1     this Act may take subsequent examinations as provided by Section
 2-2     504.157, Occupations Code, as amended by this Act.
 2-3           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
 2-4     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
 2-5     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
 2-6     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
 2-7     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.