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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the occupational licensing of members of the military |
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and spouses of members of the military. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 55, Occupations Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 55. LICENSING OF MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS, RECENT VETERANS, |
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[LICENSE WHILE ON MILITARY DUTY] AND [FOR] MILITARY SPOUSES |
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[SPOUSE] |
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SECTION 2. Section 55.001, Occupations Code, is amended by |
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adding Subdivisions (1-a), (1-b), and (1-c) to read as follows: |
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(1-a) "Military service member" means a person who is |
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currently serving in the armed forces of the United States, in a |
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reserve component of the armed forces of the United States, |
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including the National Guard, or in the state military service of |
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any state. |
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(1-b) "Military spouse" means a person who is married |
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to a military service member who is currently on active duty. |
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(1-c) "Recent veteran" means a person who has served |
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as a military service member within the 12 months preceding the date |
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the person applied for a license in this state. |
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SECTION 3. Chapter 55, Occupations Code, is amended by |
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adding Sections 55.005 and 55.006 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 55.005. EXPEDITED LICENSE PROCEDURE. (a) A state |
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agency that issues a license shall, as soon as practicable after a |
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military service member, recent veteran, or military spouse files |
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an application for a license: |
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(1) process the application; and |
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(2) issue a license to a qualified applicant who holds |
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a current license issued by another jurisdiction, including a |
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branch of the armed forces of the United States, that has licensing |
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requirements that are substantially equivalent to the licensing |
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requirements in this state. |
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(b) A license issued under this section may not be a |
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provisional license and must confer the same rights, privileges, |
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and responsibilities as a license not issued under this section. |
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Sec. 55.006. RENEWAL OF EXPEDITED LICENSE. (a) As soon as |
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practicable after a state agency issues a license under Section |
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55.005, the state agency shall determine the requirements for the |
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license holder to renew the license. The renewal requirements must |
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be designed so that the license holder must, in order to renew the |
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license, satisfy the requirements for the issuance of an original |
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license in this state and the requirements to renew the license in |
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this state. |
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(b) The agency shall notify the license holder of the |
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requirements for renewing the license in writing. |
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(c) A license issued under Section 55.005 expires on the |
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first anniversary of the date the state agency provides notice of |
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the renewal requirements under Subsection (b). The license holder |
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may not renew the license unless the license holder complies with |
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the renewal requirements described by Subsection (a). |
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SECTION 4. Section 55.004, Occupations Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 5. Sections 55.005 and 55.006, Occupations Code, as |
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added by this Act, apply only to an application for a license filed |
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on or after the effective date of this Act. An application for a |
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license filed before the effective date of this Act is governed by |
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the law in effect on the date the application was filed, and that |
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law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 6. A state agency that issues an occupational |
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license shall adopt any rules necessary to implement Sections |
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55.005 and 55.006, Occupations Code, as added by this Act, not later |
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than January 1, 2014. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |