87R3931 JCG-F
 
  By: Schaefer, Oliverson, Bell of Montgomery, H.B. No. 1650
      Guillen, Buckley, et al.
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the regulation of plumbing, including the requirements
  to obtain a tradesman plumber-limited license.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 1301.002(10), Occupations Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
               (10)  "Tradesman plumber-limited license holder" means
  a person who:
                     (A)  has:
                           (i)  completed at least 4,000 hours working
  under the direct supervision of a journeyman or master plumber as a
  plumber's apprentice; or
                           (ii)  successfully completed a coherent
  sequence of courses in the plumbing trade that are offered through a
  career and technology education program, as described by Section
  1301.3542;
                     (B)  has passed the required examination;
                     (C)  constructs and installs plumbing for
  one-family or two-family dwellings under the supervision of a
  responsible master plumber; and
                     (D)  has fulfilled the other requirements of the
  board.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter G, Chapter 1301, Occupations Code, is
  amended by adding Section 1301.3542 to read as follows:
         Sec. 1301.3542.  CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR
  TRADESMAN PLUMBER-LIMITED LICENSE; INSTRUCTORS. (a)
  Notwithstanding Section 1301.354, a person who successfully
  completes a coherent sequence of courses in the plumbing trade that
  are offered through a career and technology education program under
  Subchapter F, Chapter 29, Education Code, may apply for and take an
  examination for a license as a tradesman plumber-limited license
  holder.  The board may not require the person to register as a
  plumber's apprentice, pay any fee, or comply with Section 1301.354
  or any other requirement of this chapter that applies to a person's
  eligibility to apply for and take the examination.
         (b)  A student of any age enrolled in a high school is
  eligible to take the sequence of courses described by Subsection
  (a) without registering as a plumber's apprentice, paying any
  registration fee, or complying with Section 1301.354 or any other
  requirement of this chapter that applies to enrolling or
  participating in those courses.
         (c)  If an applicant described by Subsection (a)
  successfully passes the examination for a license as a tradesman
  plumber-limited license holder, the board shall issue the applicant
  the license.
         (d)  The board shall develop the courses described by
  Subsection (a). The courses must be approved by the State Board of
  Education.
         (e)  The courses must include an appropriate number of hours
  of classroom instruction and a practical component. The board may
  credit on-the-job training toward meeting the requirements under
  the practical component.
         (f)  A person may not provide instruction in a career and
  technology education program described by this section unless the
  person is licensed under this chapter as a master plumber,
  journeyman plumber, or plumbing inspector.
         (g)  A person described by Subsection (f) may provide the
  instruction in a full-time or part-time capacity as an employee,
  contractor, or volunteer of a high school. 
         (h)  The board may adopt rules necessary to implement this
  section, including procedures to verify a student's successful
  completion of the sequence of courses described by Subsection (a).
         SECTION 3.  Section 1301.401, Occupations Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 1301.401.  ANNUAL RENEWAL REQUIRED; EXCEPTION. (a) A
  license or registration under this chapter is valid for one year.
  Except as provided by Subsection (c), on [On] payment of the
  required fee, a license may be renewed annually.
         (b)  The board by rule may adopt a system under which
  licenses, endorsements, and registrations expire on various dates
  during the year.
         (c)  A person who is employed by, under contract with, or
  engaged as a volunteer by a school to provide instruction in a
  career and technology education program described by Section
  1301.3542 and provides meaningful course instruction in the
  program, as determined under rules adopted under Section 1301.407,
  is not required to pay a fee to renew the person's license.
         SECTION 4.  Section 1301.404, Occupations Code, is amended
  by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
         (g)  A person who is employed by, under contract with, or
  engaged as a volunteer by a school to provide instruction in a
  career and technology education program described by Section
  1301.3542 and provides meaningful course instruction in the
  program, as determined under rules adopted under Section 1301.407,
  may renew the person's license and any endorsement without
  complying with Subsection (b) if the person completes the hours of
  continuing professional education required by that subsection
  every three years.
         SECTION 5.  Subchapter H, Chapter 1301, Occupations Code, is
  amended by adding Section 1301.407 to read as follows:
         Sec. 1301.407.  PROCEDURES FOR VERIFYING CERTAIN
  EXEMPTIONS. The board, in consultation with the State Board of
  Education, may adopt rules as necessary to verify whether a person
  qualifies for an exemption from the required renewal fee, as
  described by Section 1301.401(c), or an exemption from required
  continuing professional education, as described by Section
  1301.404(g), including rules providing for obtaining and
  evaluating written verification from the applicable school of the
  person's provision of meaningful course instruction in a career and
  technology education program described by Section 1301.3542.
         SECTION 6.  Notwithstanding Section 1301.003, Occupations
  Code, it is the intent of the legislature in enacting this Act to
  amend Chapter 1301, Occupations Code, as that chapter was continued
  in existence by Executive Order No. GA-06.
         SECTION 7.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act, the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners shall adopt
  rules necessary to implement the changes in law made by this Act to
  Chapter 1301, Occupations Code.
         SECTION 8.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.