|
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to the regulation of certain licensing agents; providing |
|
penalties. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Title 2, Alcoholic Beverage Code, is amended by |
|
adding Chapter 7 to read as follows: |
|
CHAPTER 7. LICENSING AGENTS |
|
SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS |
|
Sec. 7.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
|
(1) "Department" means the Texas Department of |
|
Licensing and Regulation. |
|
(2) "Licensing agent" means a person who assists |
|
another person in obtaining or renewing a license or permit issued |
|
under this code or otherwise represents a person before the |
|
commission with respect to a license or permit issued under this |
|
code. |
|
Sec. 7.002. APPLICABILITY OF CHAPTER. This chapter does |
|
not apply to: |
|
(1) an attorney licensed in this state; |
|
(2) a person who holds a license or permit issued under |
|
this code or an employee of a person who holds a license or permit |
|
issued under this code acting on behalf of the license or permit |
|
holder; or |
|
(3) an applicant for a license or permit issued under |
|
this code or an employee of an applicant for a license or permit |
|
issued under this code acting on the applicant's own behalf. |
|
[Sections 7.003-7.050 reserved for expansion] |
|
SUBCHAPTER B. POWERS AND DUTIES |
|
Sec. 7.051. LICENSING AGENT TRAINING COURSE. (a) The |
|
commission shall establish a licensing agent training course. The |
|
course must include, at a minimum, instruction regarding: |
|
(1) all permits and licenses issued by the commission |
|
and the activities authorized for each permit and license; and |
|
(2) the procedures for filing permit and license |
|
applications with the commission. |
|
(b) The commission shall teach the training course at least |
|
four times each year in different locations throughout the state. |
|
(c) The commission shall charge a fee to each individual |
|
taking the course. The commission shall adopt the course fee in an |
|
amount that in the aggregate is sufficient to cover the cost of |
|
teaching the course. |
|
Sec. 7.052. INVESTIGATION OF COMPLAINTS. The executive |
|
director of the department shall, on the written complaint of a |
|
person aggrieved by the action of a licensing agent, investigate an |
|
alleged violation of this chapter by a licensing agent or an |
|
applicant. |
|
[Sections 7.053-7.100 reserved for expansion] |
|
SUBCHAPTER C. LICENSING |
|
Sec. 7.101. LICENSE REQUIRED. A person may not act as a |
|
licensing agent unless the person holds a license issued under this |
|
chapter. |
|
Sec. 7.102. ELIGIBILITY FOR LICENSING AGENT LICENSE. A |
|
person is eligible for a licensing agent license if the person: |
|
(1) is at least 18 years of age; |
|
(2) is a citizen of the United States or a legal alien; |
|
and |
|
(3) has completed a training course approved by the |
|
department or commission. |
|
Sec. 7.103. PERSON INELIGIBLE FOR LICENSE. The department |
|
may not issue a licensing agent license to a person who has a |
|
substantial ownership interest in any permit or license issued |
|
under Title 3. |
|
Sec. 7.104. APPLICATION FOR LICENSE. An applicant for a |
|
license under this chapter must: |
|
(1) submit an application on a form provided by the |
|
department; and |
|
(2) include with the application the application fee |
|
set by the department. |
|
Sec. 7.105. CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD INFORMATION FOR LICENSE |
|
APPLICANTS. (a) An applicant for a license under this chapter must |
|
submit to the department, in addition to satisfying the other |
|
requirements of this subchapter, a complete and legible set of |
|
fingerprints, on a form prescribed by the department, for the |
|
purpose of obtaining criminal history record information from the |
|
Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of |
|
Investigation. |
|
(b) On receipt of an application for a license under this |
|
chapter, the department shall conduct a criminal background check |
|
on the applicant. |
|
(c) An applicant is not eligible for a license under this |
|
chapter if the applicant has not fully completed the terms of the |
|
applicant's sentence after having been finally convicted of a |
|
misdemeanor involving moral turpitude or a felony. |
|
Sec. 7.106. LICENSE ISSUANCE. The department shall issue a |
|
license under this chapter if the department determines that the |
|
applicant: |
|
(1) has paid the license fee set by the department; and |
|
(2) qualifies to be licensed under this chapter. |
|
Sec. 7.107. LICENSE NOT REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEES. An |
|
employee of a licensing agent who only performs administrative |
|
duties is not required to hold a license under this chapter. |
|
[Sections 7.108-7.150 reserved for expansion] |
|
SUBCHAPTER D. LICENSE EXPIRATION AND RENEWAL |
|
Sec. 7.151. LICENSE EXPIRATION. (a) A license issued under |
|
this chapter expires on the second anniversary of the date the |
|
license is issued. The department by rule may adopt a system under |
|
which licenses expire on various dates during the year. |
|
(b) A person may not engage in activities that require a |
|
license if the person's license has expired and is not renewed as |
|
provided by this subchapter. |
|
Sec. 7.152. LICENSE RENEWAL. (a) A person may renew an |
|
unexpired license by paying the required renewal fee to the |
|
department before the expiration date of the license. |
|
(b) At least 30 days before the expiration of a person's |
|
license, the department shall send written notice of the impending |
|
license expiration to the person at the person's last known address |
|
according to the department's records. |
|
(c) A person whose license has been expired for 90 days or |
|
less may renew the license by paying to the department a renewal fee |
|
that is equal to one and one-half times the normally required |
|
renewal fee. |
|
(d) A person whose license has been expired for more than 90 |
|
days but less than one year may renew the license by paying to the |
|
department a renewal fee that is equal to two times the normally |
|
required renewal fee. |
|
(e) A person whose license has been expired for one year or |
|
more may not renew the license. The person may obtain a license by |
|
complying with the requirements and procedures for obtaining a new |
|
license. |
|
(f) On receipt of an application to renew a license issued |
|
under this chapter, the department may conduct a criminal |
|
background check under Section 7.105. |
|
[Sections 7.153-7.200 reserved for expansion] |
|
SUBCHAPTER E. PRACTICE OF LICENSING AGENT |
|
Sec. 7.201. COLLECTION OF LICENSE AND PERMIT FEES. (a) All |
|
permit or license fees collected by a licensing agent on behalf of |
|
another person must be paid by check made payable to the appropriate |
|
state or local governmental authority. |
|
(b) A licensing agent shall deposit all license and permit |
|
fees collected by the agent with the appropriate state or local |
|
governmental authority not later than the 90th day after the date |
|
the licensing agent receives the fee. |
|
[Sections 7.202-7.250 reserved for expansion] |
|
SUBCHAPTER F. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS |
|
Sec. 7.251. ERRORS AND OMISSIONS POLICY REQUIRED. The |
|
holder of a licensing agent license shall file with the department |
|
an errors and omissions insurance policy insuring the applicant |
|
against liability for damage to persons occurring as a result of |
|
actions performed in the course of business as a licensing agent. |
|
Sec. 7.252. POLICY TERMS AND CONDITIONS. An insurance |
|
policy filed under this subchapter must be in an amount set by the |
|
department that is not less than $25,000 for each injury with a |
|
minimum total aggregate of $75,000 for all injuries. The |
|
department shall set the amount of insurance required under this |
|
section on a sliding scale based on the licensing agent's volume of |
|
business. |
|
Sec. 7.253. POLICY APPROVAL. The department shall adopt |
|
rules governing the requirements for the insurance policy required |
|
by this subchapter. |
|
[Sections 7.254-7.300 reserved for expansion] |
|
SUBCHAPTER G. DENIAL OF LICENSE AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES |
|
Sec. 7.301. DENIAL OF APPLICATION; SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION |
|
OF LICENSE. The department may deny an application for a license or |
|
suspend or revoke the license of a licensing agent for: |
|
(1) violating this chapter or a rule adopted under |
|
this chapter; |
|
(2) obtaining a license through false or fraudulent |
|
representation; |
|
(3) making a substantial misrepresentation in an |
|
application for a licensing agent license; |
|
(4) engaging in a continued and flagrant course of |
|
misrepresentation; or |
|
(5) failing to account for or remit, within a |
|
reasonable time, money belonging to another that is in the |
|
licensing agent's possession, commingling money of another person |
|
with the licensing agent's money, or failing to keep the money of |
|
another person in an escrow or trust account. |
|
Sec. 7.302. HEARING BY STATE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE |
|
HEARINGS. (a) Before denying an application for a license or |
|
suspending or revoking a license, the department must: |
|
(1) set the matter for a hearing to be conducted by the |
|
State Office of Administrative Hearings; and |
|
(2) before the hearing date, notify the applicant in |
|
writing of: |
|
(A) the charges alleged or the question to be |
|
determined at the hearing; and |
|
(B) the date and location of the hearing. |
|
(b) At a hearing under this section, the applicant may: |
|
(1) be present and be heard in person or by counsel; |
|
and |
|
(2) have an opportunity to offer evidence by oral |
|
testimony, affidavit, or deposition. |
|
(c) Written notice may be served by personal delivery to the |
|
applicant or by certified mail to the last known mailing address of |
|
the applicant. |
|
[Sections 7.303-7.350 reserved for expansion] |
|
SUBCHAPTER H. CRIMINAL PENALTIES |
|
Sec. 7.351. PRACTICING WITHOUT LICENSE; OFFENSE. (a) A |
|
person commits an offense if the person acts as a licensing agent |
|
without a license. |
|
(b) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor. |
|
Sec. 7.352. GENERAL CRIMINAL PENALTY. (a) A person commits |
|
an offense if the person violates a provision of this chapter or a |
|
rule adopted by the department under this chapter for which a |
|
penalty is not provided. |
|
(b) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor. |
|
SECTION 2. On or before November 1, 2009, the Texas |
|
Department of Licensing and Regulation shall adopt all rules |
|
necessary to implement Chapter 7, Alcoholic Beverage Code, as added |
|
by this Act. |
|
SECTION 3. A person is not required to hold a license under |
|
Chapter 7, Alcoholic Beverage Code, as added by this Act, before |
|
January 1, 2010, to engage in activity regulated by that chapter. |
|
SECTION 4. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this |
|
section, this Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
|
(b) Sections 7.101, 7.351, and 7.352, Alcoholic Beverage |
|
Code, as added by this Act, take effect January 1, 2010. |