Bill Text: TX SB162 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Comm Sub
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the occupational licensing of spouses of members of the military and the eligibility requirements for certain occupational licenses issued to applicants with military experience.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-1)
Status: (Passed) 2013-05-18 - Effective immediately [SB162 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-SB162-Comm_Sub.html
Bill Title: Relating to the occupational licensing of spouses of members of the military and the eligibility requirements for certain occupational licenses issued to applicants with military experience.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-1)
Status: (Passed) 2013-05-18 - Effective immediately [SB162 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-SB162-Comm_Sub.html
By: Van de Putte, et al. | S.B. No. 162 | |
(Flynn) | ||
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relating to the occupational licensing of spouses of members of the | ||
military and the eligibility requirements for certain occupational | ||
licenses issued to applicants with military experience. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 55, Occupations Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
CHAPTER 55. LICENSING OF MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS, MILITARY | ||
VETERANS, [ |
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SPOUSES [ |
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SECTION 2. Section 55.001, Occupations Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subdivisions (1-a), (1-b), and (1-c) to read as follows: | ||
(1-a) "Military service member" means a person who is | ||
currently serving in the armed forces of the United States, in a | ||
reserve component of the armed forces of the United States, | ||
including the National Guard, or in the state military service of | ||
any state. | ||
(1-b) "Military spouse" means a person who is married | ||
to a military service member who is currently on active duty. | ||
(1-c) "Military veteran" means a person who has served | ||
in the army, navy, air force, marine corps, or coast guard of the | ||
United States, or in an auxiliary service of one of those branches | ||
of the armed forces. | ||
SECTION 3. Chapter 55, Occupations Code, is amended by | ||
adding Sections 55.005, 55.006, and 55.007 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 55.005. EXPEDITED LICENSE PROCEDURE FOR MILITARY | ||
SPOUSES. (a) A state agency that issues a license shall, as soon | ||
as practicable after a military spouse files an application for a | ||
license: | ||
(1) process the application; and | ||
(2) issue a license to a qualified military spouse | ||
applicant who holds a current license issued by another | ||
jurisdiction that has licensing requirements that are | ||
substantially equivalent to the licensing requirements in this | ||
state. | ||
(b) A license issued under this section may not be a | ||
provisional license and must confer the same rights, privileges, | ||
and responsibilities as a license not issued under this section. | ||
Sec. 55.006. RENEWAL OF EXPEDITED LICENSE ISSUED TO | ||
MILITARY SPOUSE. (a) As soon as practicable after a state agency | ||
issues a license under Section 55.005, the state agency shall | ||
determine the requirements for the license holder to renew the | ||
license. | ||
(b) The state agency shall notify the license holder of the | ||
requirements for renewing the license in writing or by electronic | ||
means. | ||
(c) A license issued under Section 55.005 has the term | ||
established by law or state agency rule, or a term of 12 months from | ||
the date the license is issued, whichever term is longer. | ||
Sec. 55.007. LICENSE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR | ||
APPLICANTS WITH MILITARY EXPERIENCE. (a) Notwithstanding any | ||
other law, a state agency that issues a license shall, with respect | ||
to an applicant who is a military service member or military | ||
veteran, credit verified military service, training, or education | ||
toward the licensing requirements, other than an examination | ||
requirement, for a license issued by the state agency. | ||
(b) The state agency shall adopt rules necessary to | ||
implement this section. | ||
(c) Rules adopted under this section may not apply to an | ||
applicant who: | ||
(1) holds a restricted license issued by another | ||
jurisdiction; or | ||
(2) has an unacceptable criminal history according to | ||
the law applicable to the state agency. | ||
SECTION 4. Subchapter G, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 1701.315 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 1701.315. LICENSE REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONS WITH | ||
MILITARY SPECIAL FORCES TRAINING. (a) In this section, "special | ||
forces" means a special forces component of the United States armed | ||
forces, including: | ||
(1) the United States Army Special Forces; | ||
(2) the United States Navy SEALs; | ||
(3) the United States Air Force Pararescue; | ||
(4) the United States Marine Corps Force | ||
Reconnaissance; and | ||
(5) any other component of the United States Special | ||
Operations Command approved by the commission. | ||
(b) The commission shall adopt rules to allow an applicant | ||
to qualify to take an examination described by Section 1701.304 if | ||
the applicant: | ||
(1) has served in the special forces; | ||
(2) has successfully completed a special forces | ||
training course and provides to the commission documentation | ||
verifying completion of the course; | ||
(3) completes a supplemental peace officer training | ||
course; and | ||
(4) completes any other training required by the | ||
commission after the commission has reviewed the applicant's | ||
military training. | ||
(c) Commission rules adopted under Subsection (b) shall | ||
include rules: | ||
(1) to determine acceptable forms of documentation | ||
that satisfy the requirements of Subsection (b); | ||
(2) under which the commission may waive any other | ||
license requirement for an applicant described by Subsection (b) | ||
based on other relevant military training the applicant has | ||
received, as determined by the commission, including intelligence | ||
or medical training; and | ||
(3) to establish an expedited application process for | ||
an applicant described by Subsection (b). | ||
(d) The commission shall review the content of the training | ||
course for each special forces component described by Subsection | ||
(a) and in adopting rules under Subsection (b) specify the training | ||
requirements an applicant who has completed that training course | ||
must complete and the training requirements from which an applicant | ||
who has completed that training course is exempt. | ||
SECTION 5. (a) Sections 55.005, 55.006, and 55.007, | ||
Occupations Code, as added by this Act, apply only to an application | ||
for a license filed with a state agency as defined by Section | ||
55.001, Occupations Code, on or after March 1, 2014. An application | ||
for a license filed before March 1, 2014, is governed by the law in | ||
effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that | ||
law is continued in effect for that purpose. | ||
(b) Each state agency as defined by Section 55.001, | ||
Occupations Code, shall adopt rules under Sections 55.005, 55.006, | ||
and 55.007, Occupations Code, as added by this Act, not later than | ||
January 1, 2014. | ||
(c) Section 1701.315, Occupations Code, as added by this | ||
Act, applies only to an application for a license filed with the | ||
Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education on or | ||
after March 1, 2014. An application for a license filed before | ||
March 1, 2014, is governed by the law in effect immediately before | ||
the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect | ||
for that purpose. | ||
(d) The Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and | ||
Education shall adopt rules under Section 1701.315, Occupations | ||
Code, as added by this Act, not later than January 1, 2014. | ||
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |