TITLE: Relating to the issuance of occupational licenses to certain out-of-state applicants.

SUMMARY: Relating to the issuance of occupational licenses to certain out-of-state applicants.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to the issuance of occupational licenses to certain out-of-state applicants. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Title 2, Occupations Code, is amended by adding Chapter 60 to read as follows: CHAPTER 60. LICENSING OUT-OF-STATE APPLICANTS Sec. 60.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: (1) "License" means a license, certificate, registration, permit, or other form of authorization required by law or a state agency rule that must be obtained by an individual to engage in a particular occupation. (2) "State agency" means a department, board, bureau, commission, committee, division, office, council, or agency of the state. Sec. 60.002. LICENSING OF OUT-OF-STATE APPLICANTS. Notwithstanding any other law, a state agency that issues a license shall waive all education, training, experience, and examination requirements for obtaining a license for an applicant for the license after reviewing the applicant's credentials and determining that: (1) the applicant holds a license issued by another state for an occupation that is substantially equivalent to the occupation for which the agency issues the license; and (2) the license granted to the applicant by the other state has not been restricted, suspended, revoked, or surrendered for any reason. SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to an application for a license submitted to a state agency on or after the effective date of this Act. An application submitted to a state agency before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the application was submitted, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.