S.B. No. 1080 amends the Occupations Code to facilitate the issuance and revocation of occupational licenses for individuals with criminal convictions, particularly those who are currently incarcerated. The bill allows the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to accept applications from inmates for occupational licenses, provided they are enrolled in or have completed an educational program before their release. Additionally, it introduces a new provision that permits licensing authorities to revoke a license if the holder is imprisoned following a felony conviction, specifically for offenses that relate directly to their licensed occupation or are classified as sexually violent offenses.

The bill also establishes guidelines for issuing provisional licenses to applicants with criminal convictions, including those who are inmates or on parole, as long as they meet educational requirements. The term of these provisional licenses begins upon the applicant's release from incarceration. Furthermore, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is required to provide relevant information to licensing authorities to assist in determining an inmate's eligibility for a license. The act is set to take effect immediately upon receiving a two-thirds vote from both houses or on September 1, 2025, if that threshold is not met.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Occupations Code 53.0211 (Occupations Code 53)
Senate Committee Report: Occupations Code 53.021, Occupations Code 53.0211, Government Code 508.313 (Government Code 508, Occupations Code 53)
Engrossed: Occupations Code 53.021, Occupations Code 53.0211, Government Code 508.313 (Government Code 508, Occupations Code 53)
House Committee Report: Occupations Code 53.021, Occupations Code 53.0211, Government Code 508.313 (Government Code 508, Occupations Code 53)
Enrolled: Occupations Code 51.4014, Occupations Code 53.021, Occupations Code 53.0211, Government Code 508.313 (Occupations Code 51, Government Code 508, Occupations Code 53)