|
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to the regulation of plumbing. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Sections 1301.002(2), (3), and (4), Occupations |
|
Code, are amended to read as follows: |
|
(2) "Drain cleaner" means a person who: |
|
(A) has completed at least 4,000 hours working |
|
under the supervision of a responsible master plumber as a drain |
|
cleaner-restricted registrant; |
|
(B) has fulfilled the requirements of and is |
|
registered with the board; and |
|
(C) installs cleanouts and removes and resets |
|
p-traps to eliminate obstructions in building drains and sewers |
|
under the supervision of a responsible master plumber. |
|
(3) "Drain cleaner-restricted registrant" means a |
|
person who: |
|
(A) has worked as a plumber's apprentice under |
|
the supervision of a responsible master plumber; |
|
(B) has fulfilled the requirements of and is |
|
registered with the board; and |
|
(C) clears obstructions in sewer and drain lines |
|
through any code-approved existing opening under the supervision of |
|
a responsible master plumber. |
|
(4) "Journeyman plumber" means a person licensed under |
|
this chapter who: |
|
(A) has met the qualifications for registration |
|
as a plumber's apprentice or for licensing as a tradesman |
|
plumber-limited license holder; |
|
(B) has completed at least 8,000 hours working |
|
under the supervision of a responsible master plumber; |
|
(C) installs, changes, repairs, services, or |
|
renovates plumbing or supervises any of those activities under the |
|
supervision of a responsible master plumber; |
|
(D) has passed the required examination; and |
|
(E) has fulfilled the other requirements of the |
|
board. |
|
SECTION 2. Section 1301.354(c), Occupations Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(c) At the applicant's request, the board may credit an |
|
applicant under Subsection (b) with up to 1,000 [500] hours of the |
|
work experience required before taking an examination if the |
|
applicant has completed the classroom portion of a training |
|
program: |
|
(1) approved by the United States Department of Labor, |
|
Office of Apprenticeship; or |
|
(2) provided by a person approved by the board and |
|
based on course materials approved by the board. |
|
SECTION 3. (a) The changes in law made by this Act apply |
|
only to an application for a certificate of registration as a drain |
|
cleaner or drain cleaner-restricted registrant submitted on or |
|
after the effective date of this Act. An application for a |
|
certificate of registration submitted before the effective date of |
|
this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the |
|
application was submitted, and the former law is continued in |
|
effect for that purpose. |
|
(b) A person who holds a certificate of registration as a |
|
drain cleaner or drain cleaner-restricted registrant issued before |
|
the effective date of this Act may continue to renew that |
|
certificate of registration without complying with the changes in |
|
law made by this Act relating to the work requirement under the |
|
supervision of a responsible master plumber. |
|
(c) The change in law made by this Act applies only to an |
|
application for a license as a journeyman plumber submitted on or |
|
after the effective date of this Act. An application for a license |
|
submitted before the effective date of this Act is governed by the |
|
law in effect on the date the application was submitted, and the |
|
former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
|
(d) A person who holds a license as a journeyman plumber |
|
issued before the effective date of this Act may continue to renew |
|
that license without complying with the changes in law made by this |
|
Act relating to the work requirement under the supervision of a |
|
responsible master plumber. |
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |