BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1657

By: Phelan

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that when the state legislature began regulating interior design, certain persons who had been practicing interior design were exempted from the state's examination requirements. Concerns have been raised regarding the recent legislation that eliminated the ability for those designers to renew their registration unless they passed the interior design exam adopted by the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners. In light of the fact that many of these designers are sole practitioners or small business owners who have been practicing for decades, H.B. 1657 seeks to provide these designers an additional ten years to continue to renew their registration without complying with the examination requirement.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1657 amends the Occupations Code to postpone from September 1, 2017, to September 1, 2027, the date on or after which a person who holds a certificate of registration relating to interior designers issued without examination may no longer renew the certificate unless the person has passed the required registration examination adopted by the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners. The bill postpones the date on which this provision expires from January 1, 2019, to January 1, 2029.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.