BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	C.S.S.B. 787
86R20398 MAW-D	By: Hancock
	Business & Commerce
	4/4/2019
	Committee Report (Substituted)

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

After taking time off to care for growing families, parents re-entering the workforce should be afforded the opportunity to do so in the most cost-efficient way. Parents re-entering the workforce where a license is required by the state should be afforded a reduced licensure reactivation fee. The modified fee will be available to all former active license holders who can produce a birth certificate for a child dated within two years of the reactivation request. This provision will allow parents to move in and out of the workforce without placing burdensome regulatory costs on an individual whose primary job is the care of his/her children. (Original Author's/Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

C.S.S.B. 787 amends current law relating to a reduced occupational licensing fee for certain former license holders.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to a state agency that issues a license in SECTION 1 (Section 57.003, Occupations Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 57, Occupations Code, by adding Section 57.003, as follows:

Sec. 57.003. REDUCED OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING FEE FOR CERTAIN FORMER LICENSE HOLDERS. (a) Requires a state agency that issues a license, notwithstanding any other law, to adopt rules requiring the agency to charge a reduced license application fee or reactivation fee, as applicable, not to exceed one-third of the amount of the usual fee, to an applicant who:

(1) in a two-year period preceding the date of the application, became a parent by natural birth or adoption; and

(2) immediately before the birth or adoption, held an active license of the same type for which the person is applying.

(b) Authorizes rules adopted under this section to require an applicant to submit to the state agency an attestation or other documentation relating to the child's birth or adoption.

SECTION 2. Requires a state agency to which Section 57.003, Occupations Code, as added by this Act, applies to, not later than September 1, 2020, adopt and implement the rules required by that section.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2019.