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.