BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2214

By: Hernandez

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There are concerns about the unemployment rate among military spouses and veterans who hold occupational licenses. It has been suggested that, while the issuance of occupational licenses for active-duty military members, military spouses, and veterans has been streamlined and expedited, there has not been a comprehensive effort to ascertain which licenses are particularly in demand for these three categories to accurately determine whether current expediting policies meet workforce and industry demands. C.S.H.B. 2214 seeks to address these issues by requiring a review and related report of each type of license issued by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to identify the types for which a significant number of military service members, military veterans, or military spouses submit applications.

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. 2214 amends the Occupations Code to require the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) to review each type of license issued by TDLR to an individual to identify the types for which a significant number of military service members, military veterans, or military spouses submit applications. The bill requires TDLR, not later than December 1, 2020, to submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and each legislative standing committee with primary jurisdiction over TDLR a report on the results of the review and any recommendations related to the efficient issuance of licenses to qualified military service members, military veterans, and military spouses. The bill requires TDLR to make the report available on its website. The bill's provisions expire September 1, 2021.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 2214 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute includes requirements for TDLR to submit a report on the results of its review of the applicable issued licenses and related recommendations to specified entities and to make the report available on its website.

The substitute does not include requirements for the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation to adopt rules to provide for the expedited issuance of a temporary license to certain applicants who are military service members, veterans, or spouses.

The substitute sets the bill's provisions to expire September 1, 2021.