H.B. No. 1508

	AN ACT
	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.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Chapter 53, Occupations Code, is amended by
	adding Subchapter E to read as follows:
	SUBCHAPTER E. NOTICE OF POTENTIAL INELIGIBILITY FOR LICENSE
	Sec. 53.151.  DEFINITIONS. Notwithstanding Section 53.001,
	in this subchapter, "licensing authority" and "occupational
	license" have the meanings assigned to those terms by Section
	58.001.
	Sec. 53.152.  NOTICE BY ENTITIES PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL
	PROGRAMS. (a) An entity that provides an educational program to
	prepare an individual for issuance of an initial occupational
	license shall notify each applicant to and enrollee in the
	educational program of:
	(1)  the potential ineligibility of an individual who
	has been convicted of an offense for issuance of an occupational
	license on completion of the educational program;
	(2)  the current guidelines issued under Section 53.025
	by any licensing authority that may issue an occupational license
	to an individual who completes the educational program;
	(3)  any other state or local restriction or guideline
	used by a licensing authority described by Subdivision (2) to
	determine the eligibility of an individual who has been convicted
	of an offense for an occupational license issued by the licensing
	authority; and
	(4)  the right to request a criminal history evaluation
	letter under Section 53.102.
	(b)  The entity shall provide the notice required under
	Subsection (a) to each applicant and enrollee regardless of whether
	the applicant or enrollee has been convicted of an offense.
	Sec. 53.153.  REFUND AND ORDERED PAYMENTS. A licensing
	authority that determines that an entity regulated by the licensing
	authority has failed to provide the notice required by Section
	53.152 to an individual entitled to receive the notice and that the
	individual's application for an occupational license for which the
	entity's educational program prepares the individual was denied
	because the individual has been convicted of an offense shall order
	the entity to:
	(1)  refund the amount of any tuition paid by the
	individual to the entity; and
	(2)  pay to the individual an amount equal to the total
	of the following, as applicable:
	(A)  the amount of any application fees paid by
	the individual to the licensing authority; and
	(B)  the amount of any examination fees paid by
	the individual to the licensing authority or an examination
	provider approved by the licensing authority.
	SECTION 2.  Section 53.152, Occupations Code, as added by
	this Act, applies only with respect to:
	(1)  an individual who is enrolled in an educational
	program subject to that section on or after the effective date of
	this Act; and
	(2)  an applicant for enrollment in an educational
	program subject to that section who applies for enrollment in the
	program on or after that date.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 1508 was passed by the House on April
	13, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 131, Nays 7, 3 present, not
	voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
	No. 1508 on May 26, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 134, Nays 7,
	1 present, not voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 1508 was passed by the Senate, with
	amendments, on May 24, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays
	0.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED: __________________
	Date
	__________________
	Governor