BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3277

By: Guillen

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that state law automatically grants a hearing to a person who fails to respond in a timely manner to the notice received from the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners regarding a violation of the Plumbing License Law and contend that this is a waste of the state's resources. H.B. 3277 seeks to address this issue by establishing that a person waives the right to such a hearing by not requesting a hearing or accepting a determination and the recommended administrative penalty by a specified date.

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. 3277 amends the Occupations Code to establish that a person's failure to request a hearing or to accept a determination and recommended administrative penalty not later than the 20th day after the date the person receives a notice of a violation of the Plumbing License Law waives the person's right to a hearing under such law. The bill requires the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, if the board determines without a hearing that a person committed a violation and a penalty is to be imposed, to provide written notice to the person of the board's findings and to enter an order requiring the person to pay the recommended penalty.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.