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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to an occupational licensing database. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 51, Occupations Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter J to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER J. OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING DATABASE |
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Sec. 51.501. DEFINITIONS. Notwithstanding Section 51.001, |
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in this subchapter: |
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(1) "License" includes a certificate, registration, |
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permit, or other authorization that is issued by a licensing |
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authority. |
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(2) "Licensing authority" means a department, |
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commission, board, office, or other agency of the state that issues |
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a license. |
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Sec. 51.502. OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING DATABASE. (a) The |
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department shall create and make accessible on an Internet website |
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maintained by the department an occupational licensing database as |
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provided by this section. |
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(b) The database must include with respect to each license |
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required by a licensing authority: |
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(1) the purpose for which the license is issued; |
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(2) the requirements, including the types and number |
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of hours of education and other training, necessary for an |
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applicant to receive the license; |
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(3) the estimated financial cost to an applicant in |
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obtaining the license, including the cost of fulfilling education |
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and training requirements and application fees; and |
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(4) the number of license holders. |
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(c) At least annually, the department shall update the |
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information in the database for each license, as appropriate. |
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(d) To the extent possible, the department shall present |
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information in the database in a manner that is searchable and |
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intuitive to users. |
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(e) The department may not charge a fee to the public to |
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access the database. |
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Sec. 51.503. REPORTING OF LICENSING INFORMATION TO |
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DEPARTMENT. Not later than February 1 of each year, a licensing |
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authority shall submit to the department, in a form and in the |
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manner prescribed by the department, a report containing the |
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information described by Section 51.502(b) and other information |
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specified by the department for the purpose of providing the |
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department with information to maintain the occupational licensing |
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database under Section 51.502. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than September 1, 2018, the Texas |
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Department of Licensing and Regulation shall make accessible to the |
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public the occupational licensing database required by Section |
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51.502, Occupations Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |