BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3329

By: Paddie

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that while the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation charges electricians a state licensing fee, municipalities frequently charge electricians a fee to register the license with the municipality. These parties contend that fee redundancies create a financial burden for electricians and can create difficulties each time an electrician has the opportunity to expand his or her business to a new area. C.S.H.B. 3329 seeks to ease such a burden by prohibiting a municipality or region from collecting a fee from a state-licensed electrician for work performed in the municipality or region.

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

C.S.H.B. 3329 amends the Occupations Code to prohibit a municipality or region from collecting a permit fee, registration fee, administrative fee, or any other fee from an electrician who holds a license issued under the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Act for work performed in the municipality or region. The bill expressly does not prohibit a municipality or region from collecting a building permit fee.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 3329 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.