BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 2304
85R9079 TSR-D	By: Guillen (Schwertner)
	Business & Commerce
	5/17/2017
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Currently, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation is allowed by statute to compute instruction time based on clock hours, but certain cosmetology and barber schools, including high schools and junior colleges, use credit hours toward a cosmetology license. The problem is that there is no consistent formula to provide for conversion between clock and credit hours, creating the opportunity for differing licensing standards. What one school may consider a proper conversion of clock to credit hours may be different from another school's formula.

H.B. 2304 addresses this issue by allowing the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation to establish and implement a set formula to fairly and consistently equate credit hours and clock hours. This minimally invasive solution allows for programs to continue using their choice of credit or clock hours, while still creating a more reliable licensure standard.

H.B. 2304 amends current law relating to the hours of instruction provided in barbering and cosmetology schools.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation in SECTION 1 (Section 1603.351, Occupations Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 1603.351, Occupations Code, by adding Subsection (a-1), as follows:

(a-1) Authorizes the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation, notwithstanding any other law, to adopt rules to:

(1) authorize a school licensed under this chapter (Regulation of Barbering and Cosmetology), Chapter 1601 (Barbers), or Chapter 1602 (Cosmetologists) to account for any hours of instruction completed under those chapters on the basis of clock hours or credit hours; and

(2) establish standards for determining the equivalency and conversion of clock hours to credit hours and credit hours to clock hours.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2017.