BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1797
85R10572 JCG-F	By: Campbell
	Business & Commerce
	4/13/2017
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation is responsible for licensing electricians at the expense of the licensee. Current law does not prohibit a municipality or region from collecting additional fees. Consequently, municipalities frequently charge electricians a permit fee to register their licenses with the city. Fee redundancies create a financial burden for electricians and create a pay-to-play scenario anytime an electrician wishes to expand his or her business to a new city.

S.B. 1797 prohibits a municipality or region from collecting a fee from an electrician licensed with the state for work performed in the municipality or region.

As proposed, S.B. 1797 amends current law relating to regulation of electricians by local governments.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 1305.201, Occupations Code, by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (f), as follows:

(a) Deletes collecting permit fees for municipal or regional licenses and examinations from electricians for certain work from actions of a municipality or region that are not prohibited by this chapter (Electricians).

(f) Prohibits 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 this chapter for work performed in the municipality or region.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2017.