BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 681
	By: Hughes
	Business & Commerce
	6/12/2025
	Enrolled

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Texas currently requires professional engineers to renew their licenses annually. In contrast, 43 other states have a minimum renewal period of two years.

S.B. 681 proposes extending Texas' renewal period to at least two years, aligning it with the standards of the vast majority of other states. This adjustment aims to reduce administrative burdens and streamline the process, making it easier for engineers to work and contribute to Texas communities.

By modernizing the renewal requirements, Texas will remain competitive with other states, attracting and retaining more engineers to help build a stronger, safer, and more prosperous state.

(Original Author/Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

S.B. 681 amends current law relating to the term and renewal of an engineering or land surveying license or registration.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors in SECTION 3 (Section 1001.351, Occupations Code) of this bill.

Rulemaking authority previously granted to the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors is modified in SECTION 5 (Section 1071.301, Occupations Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends the heading to Subchapter H, Chapter 1001, Occupations Code, to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER H. ENGINEERING LICENSE OR REGISTRATION TERM AND RENEWAL

SECTION 2. Amends the heading to Section 1001.351, Occupations Code, to read as follows:

Sec. 1001.351. LICENSE OR REGISTRATION RENEWAL.

SECTION 3. Amends Section 1001.351(a), Occupations Code, as follows:

(a) Requires the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (TBPELS) to adopt rules providing for the renewal, rather than to provide for the annual renewal, of a license or registration issued under Chapter 1001 (Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors). Requires that the rules provide that a license or registration issued under this chapter is valid for a term of not less than two years.

SECTION 4. Amends Section 1001.405(d), Occupations Code, as follows:

(d) Provides that the registration of a business entity issued under Section 1001.405 (Practice by Business Entity; Registration) is valid for the term provided by board rule adopted under Section 1001.351, rather than expires on the first anniversary of the date the registration is issued, and is authorized to be renewed by the filing of an updated application under Subsection (c) (relating to application procedures by which a business entity is authorized to register as an engineering practice). Makes a nonsubstantive change.

SECTION 5. Amends Section 1071.301(a), Occupations Code, to require TBPELS by rule to provide that each certificate of registration or license under Chapter 1071 (Land Surveyors) is valid for a term of not less than two years, rather than one year or two years, and for the renewal of the certificate or license.

SECTION 6. Requires TBPELS, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, to adopt rules to implement Sections 1001.351(a) and 1071.301(a), Occupations Code, as amended by this Act.  

SECTION 7. Effective date: September 1, 2025.