BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2885

By: Clardy

Insurance

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The commissioner of insurance is authorized to certify continuing education programs for fire detection and alarm device installation but participation in these programs is voluntary. As a result, it is likely that some who are licensed to install these devices in Texas are not properly trained. C.S.H.B. 2885 seeks to remedy this issue by giving discretion to the commissioner of insurance to determine appropriate participation in certified continuing education 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 this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2885 amends the Insurance Code to remove the provision making participation in the continuing education program for a licensed fire alarm technician, residential fire alarm technician, residential fire alarm superintendent, and fire alarm planning superintendent voluntary. The bill prohibits the commissioner of insurance from adopting the following rules:

·       a rule that excludes or devalues a signed or otherwise substantially verifiable certificate of training that is applicable to the areas of work authorized by the relevant license and issued by a training program or school that is nationally recognized or authorized under applicable state law; or

·       a rule that requires more than eight hours of continuing education for any license renewal period.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2021.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 2885 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute includes provisions not in the original prohibiting the commissioner from adopting certain rules.