H.B. No. 1508
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to notice to applicants to and enrollees in certain
  educational programs regarding the consequences of a criminal
  conviction on eligibility for an occupational license.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 53, Occupations Code, is amended by
  adding Subchapter E to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER E. NOTICE OF POTENTIAL INELIGIBILITY FOR LICENSE
         Sec. 53.151.  DEFINITIONS. Notwithstanding Section 53.001,
  in this subchapter, "licensing authority" and "occupational
  license" have the meanings assigned to those terms by Section
  58.001. 
         Sec. 53.152.  NOTICE BY ENTITIES PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL
  PROGRAMS. (a) An entity that provides an educational program to
  prepare an individual for issuance of an initial occupational
  license shall notify each applicant to and enrollee in the
  educational program of:
               (1)  the potential ineligibility of an individual who
  has been convicted of an offense for issuance of an occupational
  license on completion of the educational program;
               (2)  the current guidelines issued under Section 53.025
  by any licensing authority that may issue an occupational license
  to an individual who completes the educational program;
               (3)  any other state or local restriction or guideline
  used by a licensing authority described by Subdivision (2) to
  determine the eligibility of an individual who has been convicted
  of an offense for an occupational license issued by the licensing
  authority; and 
               (4)  the right to request a criminal history evaluation
  letter under Section 53.102. 
         (b)  The entity shall provide the notice required under
  Subsection (a) to each applicant and enrollee regardless of whether
  the applicant or enrollee has been convicted of an offense.
         Sec. 53.153.  REFUND AND ORDERED PAYMENTS. A licensing
  authority that determines that an entity regulated by the licensing
  authority has failed to provide the notice required by Section
  53.152 to an individual entitled to receive the notice and that the
  individual's application for an occupational license for which the
  entity's educational program prepares the individual was denied
  because the individual has been convicted of an offense shall order
  the entity to:
               (1)  refund the amount of any tuition paid by the
  individual to the entity; and
               (2)  pay to the individual an amount equal to the total
  of the following, as applicable:
                     (A)  the amount of any application fees paid by
  the individual to the licensing authority; and
                     (B)  the amount of any examination fees paid by
  the individual to the licensing authority or an examination
  provider approved by the licensing authority.
         SECTION 2.  Section 53.152, Occupations Code, as added by
  this Act, applies only with respect to:
               (1)  an individual who is enrolled in an educational
  program subject to that section on or after the effective date of
  this Act; and
               (2)  an applicant for enrollment in an educational
  program subject to that section who applies for enrollment in the
  program on or after that date.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1508 was passed by the House on April
  13, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 131, Nays 7, 3 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 1508 on May 26, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 134, Nays 7,
  1 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1508 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 24, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays
  0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor