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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to licensing requirements, including continuing education |
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requirements for insurance agents, insurance adjusters, and public |
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adjusters. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 4004.053(a), Insurance Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) An individual who holds a general life, accident, and |
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health license, a life agent license, a life and health insurance |
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counselor license, an adjuster license, a managing general agent |
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license, a general property and casualty license, or a personal |
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lines property and casualty license must complete 24 [15] hours of |
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continuing education during the license period [annually]. If the |
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individual holds more than one license for which continuing |
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education is otherwise required, the individual is not required to |
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complete more than 24 [15] continuing education hours for all |
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licenses during the license period [annually]. An individual who |
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is required under rules adopted under Chapter 4008 to hold a |
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certificate to sell a designated product or product line may use |
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continuing education programs administered under Section 4004.151 |
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to satisfy the [annual] continuing education requirements under |
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this subsection. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 4056, Insurance Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 4056.059 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 4056.059. TRANSITION TO RESIDENT AGENT LICENSE. (a) |
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This section applies only to an individual who is a nonresident |
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agent licensed under Section 4056.052 and who has moved from the |
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other state that licensed the individual to this state. |
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(b) A nonresident agent may apply to the department for a |
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comparable license for residents of this state. An application |
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must include: |
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(1) a notification of the agent's change of address and |
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contact information; |
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(2) a clearance letter from the state authority of the |
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state that issued the agent's prior resident license demonstrating |
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the agent's good standing with that authority; and |
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(3) fingerprint forms in the format prescribed by the |
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department, which may be electronic. |
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(c) If a nonresident agent submits a satisfactory |
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application in accordance with Subsection (b), the department shall |
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issue a comparable resident agent license to the agent for the |
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remaining term on the agent's nonresident agent license and cancel |
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the agent's nonresident agent license. |
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(d) The department shall prorate the continuing education |
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requirement for a license issued under this section. |
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SECTION 3. Section 4102.109(a), Insurance Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) Each license holder must [annually] complete at least 24 |
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[15] hours of continuing education during the license period |
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[courses]. The commissioner by rule shall prescribe the |
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requirements for continuing education courses under this section. |
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SECTION 4. (a) Sections 4004.053(a) and 4102.109(a), |
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Insurance Code, as amended by this Act, apply only to a license |
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issued or renewed on or after the effective date of this Act. A |
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license issued or renewed before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date |
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of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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(b) Section 4056.059, Insurance Code, as added by this Act, |
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applies only to a nonresident agent who relocates to this state on |
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or after the effective date of this Act. A nonresident agent who |
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relocates to this state before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law as it existed immediately before the effective |
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date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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* * * * * |