BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1412

By: Bonnen, Dennis

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Under current law, a person that advertises or otherwise offers to perform or provide plumbing services must employ a responsible master plumber because only an individual who possesses a master plumber license is authorized to allow such a license to be used in connection with the services offered and performed by the plumbing company. A master plumber license entails the completion of a training course and passage of an examination, and interested parties contend that current requirements can be unnecessary and redundant, creating a hardship for plumbers who are experts in their craft through years of experience and have consistently maintained a journeyman license over multiple decades.

H.B. 1412 seeks to remove this unnecessary hardship by providing for a master plumber license for certain experienced plumbers without the examination and training program requirements.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1412 amends the Occupations Code to require the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners to issue a master plumber license without examination to an "experienced plumber," defined by the bill as a person who has been licensed as a journeyman plumber for at least 55 years and has operated a plumbing business in Texas for at least 12 years, who applies to the board on or before January 1, 2014.  The bill specifies that an experienced plumber who holds a master plumber license issued under the bill's provisions is not required to complete the responsible master plumber training program before working as a responsible master plumber.  The bill authorizes a person to renew a master plumber license issued under the bill's provisions in the same manner as other master plumber licenses issued by the board.    

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2013.