87R3931 JCG-F

By: Schaefer H.B. No. 1650

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.