Licensing and Administrative Procedures

SB 1968 amends Texas law to define specific required training topics for real estate professionals seeking licenses through the Texas Real Estate Commission. It details 10 course categories (like agency law, property management, and appraisal) and mandates minimum topics within each, such as fair housing laws, contract elements, and ethics. The bill directly affects real estate license applicants and educators by standardizing the curriculum content for pre-licensing courses. The Texas Real Estate Commission will enforce these updated course requirements for all new license applicants.

SB 650 requires retailers selling alcohol to verify customer age by scanning driver's licenses or ID cards with electronically readable information. It applies to all retail alcohol sales except on-premises sales at package stores. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, but businesses have until September 1, 2027, to comply, with no penalties for violations before that date. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission must adopt implementing rules by September 2027.

SB 2075 standardizes the structure and governance of advisory bodies for programs under the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (DLR). It establishes formal "advisory boards" (replacing previous "committees") to advise DLR on policy, legislation, and administration, with specific membership requirements for boards like the one governing driver education. Key provisions define membership terms (staggered six-year terms), require appointments by the commission's presiding officer, and specify member categories (e.g., three driver education providers, three driving safety providers, one instructor). The bill directly affects DLR advisory groups and their members, ensuring consistent governance across DLR-administered programs without creating new regulatory requirements.

SB 2167 requires massage therapy businesses and schools to obtain a new license if they change locations, preventing unlicensed operations at new sites. It allows the licensing commission to delay approving or denying licenses for up to 90 days if there's reasonable suspicion of criminal activity at the proposed location or if the applicant is subject to a public health emergency order. The bill also clarifies that entities (like businesses) are subject to delays if any owner or operator faces such orders. These changes take effect September 1, 2025, and require the licensing commission to update rules to implement the law.

SB 1346 prohibits lottery retailers from knowingly selling tickets to individuals attempting to purchase all or nearly all possible winning tickets in a single drawing. This law directly affects licensed lottery sales agents (retailers) who could face license revocation for each location where they violate this rule. The bill establishes a formal process where the lottery commission must revoke licenses after a hearing for such violations, and revocation subjects the retailer to a one-year ban on reapplying for a sales license. The law takes effect September 1, 2025, aiming to prevent ticket aggregation schemes that could undermine lottery fairness.