Bill

HB 2615

85(R) - 2017
House Licensing & Administrative Procedures
Senate Business & Commerce
House Licensing & Administrative Procedures
Senate Business & Commerce
Occupational Licensing
Transportation & Infrastructure

Vote Recommendation

Yes
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Positive
  • Positive

Author(s)

Craig Goldman

Sponsor(s)

Kelly Hancock

Bill Caption

Relating to the licensing of towing operators and vehicle storage facility employees by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

Fiscal Notes

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2615, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($399,900) through the biennium ending August 31, 2019.

The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

Bill Analysis

Under current law, an individual must hold a license in order to work in a vehicle storage facility. The Texas commission of Licensing and Regulation is responsible for adopting rules regarding new licensing qualifications as well as administrating the licenses.


HB 2615 would amend Occupations Code by repealing the dual tow operator/vehicle storage facility employee license. The bill would add additional licensing options for operators of vehicle storage facilities. The bill would include incident management towing operator licenses, private property towing operator licenses, and consent towing operator licenses all as qualifying licenses to work in vehicle storage facilities.

Vote Recommendation Notes

Of the 150 or so occupational licenses that are issued by the state, well over a majority of those licenses should be repealed. Occupational licensing is often well-intentioned and has been implemented in the name of safety, however, the consequence of this approach has been to create significant barriers to entry for people seeking to go into licensed fields.

 

Additionally, it is questionable at best whether these supposed safety concerns justify the licensing in the first place. In many if not most cases, occupational licensing has nothing to do with health and safety and merely serves to protect the vested interests of current businesses from unwanted competition in the marketplace.

 

To the extent that this bill would expand access to a specific occupation and lower the burden of licensing and regulation, this bill is an improvement over the status quo. We support HB 2615 because it would agree with our liberty principles of individual liberty and limited government.

Organizations Supporting

Texas Towing & Storage Association