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          AN ACT
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        relating to the licensing and regulation of a journeyman lineman. | 
      
      
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               BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
      
      
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               SECTION 1.  Section 1305.002(12), Occupations Code, is  | 
      
      
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        amended to read as follows: | 
      
      
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                     (12)  "Journeyman lineman" means an individual who  | 
      
      
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        engages in electrical work involving the installation,  | 
      
      
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        maintenance, and operation of equipment associated with the  | 
      
      
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        transmission and distribution of electricity from the  | 
      
      
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        electricity's original source to a substation and from a substation  | 
      
      
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        to the point where the electricity enters a building or structure on  | 
      
      
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        a customer's premises for further distribution. | 
      
      
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               SECTION 2.  Section 1305.101(a), Occupations Code, is  | 
      
      
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        amended to read as follows: | 
      
      
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               (a)  The executive director or commission, as appropriate,  | 
      
      
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        shall: | 
      
      
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                     (1)  by rule establish the financial responsibility  | 
      
      
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        requirements for electrical contractors; [and] | 
      
      
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                     (2)  after publication of the National Electrical Code  | 
      
      
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        by the National Fire Protection Association every three years,  | 
      
      
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        adopt the revised National Electrical Code as the electrical code  | 
      
      
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        for the state; and  | 
      
      
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                     (3)  after the publication of the National Electrical  | 
      
      
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        Safety Code by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics  | 
      
      
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        Engineers every five years, adopt the revised National Electrical  | 
      
      
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        Safety Code for purposes of Section 1305.162(e). | 
      
      
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               SECTION 3.  Section 1305.162, Occupations Code, is amended  | 
      
      
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        by adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: | 
      
      
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               (e)  In addition to the other requirements of this section,  | 
      
      
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        the department shall accept, develop, or contract for a journeyman  | 
      
      
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        lineman examination that tests an applicant's knowledge of: | 
      
      
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                     (1)  materials and methods used in the installation,  | 
      
      
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        maintenance, and operation of equipment associated with the  | 
      
      
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        transmission and distribution of electricity from the  | 
      
      
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        electricity's original source to a substation and from a substation  | 
      
      
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        to the point where the electricity enters a building or structure on  | 
      
      
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        a customer's premises for further distribution;  and  | 
      
      
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                     (2)  the standards prescribed by the National  | 
      
      
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        Electrical Safety Code as adopted by the commission. | 
      
      
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               SECTION 4.  Section 1305.162(e), Occupations Code, as added  | 
      
      
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        by this Act, applies only to an examination for a journeyman lineman  | 
      
      
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        license administered on or after June 1, 2016.  An examination for a  | 
      
      
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        journeyman lineman license administered before that date is  | 
      
      
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        governed by the law in effect on the date the examination was  | 
      
      
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        administered, and the former law is continued in effect for that  | 
      
      
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        purpose. | 
      
      
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               SECTION 5.  Not later than March 1, 2016, the Texas  | 
      
      
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        Commission of Licensing and Regulation shall adopt rules necessary  | 
      
      
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        to implement Sections 1305.101(a)(3) and 1305.162(e), Occupations  | 
      
      
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        Code, as added by this Act. | 
      
      
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               SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. | 
      
      
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        ______________________________ | 
        ______________________________ | 
      
      
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           President of the Senate | 
        Speaker of the House      | 
      
      
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               I certify that H.B. No. 3043 was passed by the House on May  | 
      
      
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        13, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 124, Nays 21, 2 present, not  | 
      
      
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        voting. | 
      
      
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        ______________________________ | 
      
      
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        Chief Clerk of the House    | 
      
      
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               I certify that H.B. No. 3043 was passed by the Senate on May  | 
      
      
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        27, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 29, Nays 2. | 
      
      
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        ______________________________ | 
      
      
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        Secretary of the Senate     | 
      
      
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        APPROVED:  _____________________ | 
      
      
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                           Date           | 
      
      
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                  _____________________ | 
      
      
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                         Governor        |