HBA-CMT H.B. 3077 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3077 By: Nixon, Joe Licensing & Administrative Procedures 4/10/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The 76th Legislature created new requirements for the registration of engineering firms with the Board of Professional Engineers. For sole proprietors and small businesses, these changes brought about an increased economic burden on the firms. Currently, individual professionals are required to pay fees twice, once as a professional engineer and again as a business. House Bill 3077 exempts sole proprietors from paying the required firm registration fee. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 3077 amends the Texas Engineering Practice Act to exempt a sole proprietorship from the registration fee assessed for an engineering firm. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.