BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3920

By: Bell, Keith

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The 88th Legislature passed H.B. 1859 and H.B. 1391, which, the bill author has informed the committee, helped develop clearer pathways for workforce development in key trades such as electricians and air conditioning specialists and recognized the growing need for skilled professionals in licensed fields, particularly as many current license holders approach retirement. The bill author has further informed the committee that while the state has made progress in strengthening workforce pipelines for these professions, other industries regulated by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), such as plumbing, cosmetology, automotive repair, and medical and health-related professions, would also benefit from similar structured training opportunities. Expanding on this previous legislative efforts, H.B. 3920 seeks to better align education with industry needs, ensuring continued economic growth and opportunities for Texans, by providing for TDLR to identify additional industries that would benefit from career and technology education programs, along with accreditation, instruction eligibility, and knowledge and skills standards for these programs.

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 rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation in SECTION 1 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 3920 amends the Occupations Code to require the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation (TCLR) to adopt rules providing for the recognition of career and technology education programs for programs regulated by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). The bill requires those rules to do the following:

· specify how completion of a career and technology education program will be credited toward licensing for the applicable program;

· establish who is eligible to provide instruction in a career and technology education program for purposes of program recognition; and

· establish standards for the essential knowledge and skills of a career and technology education program, subject to the approval of the State Board of Education if the courses are to be offered in a high school, that include:

o requiring the program to consist of an appropriate number of hours of classroom instruction and a practical component;

o providing for crediting appropriate on-the-job training toward meeting the requirements of the practical component; and

o prohibiting a career and technology education program offered by an institution of higher education from being more stringent than a program offered by a public high school.

The bill requires TCLR, in developing the initial standards for a career and technology education program, to consult with the Texas State Technical College and relevant interest groups.

H.B. 3920 defines the following terms:

· "career and technology education program" means:

o a career and technology education program under Education Code provisions governing such programs at public schools; or

o a program determined by TDLR to be similar to such a program and offered by an institution of higher education or a private school; and

· "institution of higher education" means a public, private, or independent institution of higher education.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.