BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center

C.S.S.B. 953

 

By: Birdwell; Perry

 

Business & Commerce

 

4/9/2015

 

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Current law unfairly burdens Texas sign companies by not allowing them to advertise, sell, or install an electrical sign unless they have a licensed electrician or sign contractor as a staff employee. This requirement causes sign businesses to incur the costs of paying a licensed electrician's salary when other market-based solutions are available. It may also cause the business to incur the additional costs of providing employment benefits, such as health insurance or other similar benefits.

 

S.B. 953 amends the Occupations Code to exempt from the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Act a person who sells or offers to sell a sign that requires electrical work or electrical sign work in connection with the construction or installation of the sign if the person does not perform that electrical work or electrical sign work. (Original Author’s/Sponsor’s Statement of Intent)

 

C.S.S.B. 953 amends current law relating to an exemption for certain persons who sell signs from the requirement to be licensed as an electrician.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Section 1305.003(a), Occupations Code, to provide that this chapter does not apply to a person who sells or offers to sell a sign that requires electrical work or electrical sign work in connection with the construction or installation of the sign if the person does not perform that electrical work or electrical sign work, uses only an electrical contractor or an electrical sign contractor licensed under this chapter to perform that work, and provides to the person buying the sign in writing the name and license number of the electrical contractor or electrical sign contractor hired to install the sign. Makes nonsubstantive changes to this subdivision.

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2015.