Bill: HB 1508, 85(R) - 2017
Committee
House Licensing & Administrative Procedures
2nd Chamber Committee
Senate State Affairs
Vote Recommendation
Vote Recommendation |
Economic Freedom |
Property Rights |
Personal Responsibility |
Limited Government |
Individual Liberty |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Author(s)
Ryan Guillen
Sponsor(s)
Eddie Lucio Jr.
Bill Caption
Relating to notice to applicants to and enrollees in certain
educational programs regarding the consequences of a criminal
conviction on eligibility for an occupational license.
Fiscal Notes
No significant fiscal implication to the state is anticipated.
Bill Analysis
This bill would require entities that provide educational
programs to prepare individuals for issuance of an initial occupational license
to notify each applicant and enrollee of certain information related to their
occupational license. If this bill passes, these educational entities would be
required to inform its patrons about how a criminal history could potentially
cause ineligibility for the license, and other certain guidelines and
restrictions. If a licensing entity fails to provide the notice, and if the individual
was denied due to their prior conviction, they would be entitled to a refund
for the application and examination fees.
Vote Recommendation Notes
Occupational licensure in general is overly broad, highly burdensome, and in many cases offers little benefit whatsoever to the consumer. We support notifying prospective licensees about how a criminal record may affect their ability to gain or retain an occupational license. However, we also believe it is unnecessary for government to mandate private educational programs provide these notices. Instead, the burden should be placed on government to make sure these disqualifiers are well known and clear. For these conflicting reasons, we will remain neutral on HB 1508.