TITLE 16.ECONOMIC REGULATION

Part 4. TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATION

Chapter 80. LICENSED COURT INTERPRETERS

16 TAC §80.80

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation ("Department") proposes an amendment to an existing rule at Title 16, TAC §80.80 regarding a late license renewal fee for licensed court interpreters.

The proposed amendment adds a late license renewal fee of $50 for licensed court interpreters.

This rule is necessary because the fees charged by the Department are required by §51.202 of the Texas Occupations Code to cover the costs of administering programs or activities, including issuing licenses. The fee reflects the additional cost of issuing a license after the expiration date, and also creates an incentive for timely renewal of licenses in the licensed court interpreter program.

William H. Kuntz, Jr., Executive Director, has determined that for the first five-year period the new rules are in effect there will be no cost to state or local government as a result of enforcing or administering the new rules.

Mr. Kuntz also has determined that for each year of the first five-year period the new rules are in effect, the public benefit will be an increase in timely license renewals for the licensed court interpreter program. The economic cost to those persons who are required to pay the late renewal fee will be no more than $50 for each year.

Comments on the proposal may be submitted to William H. Kuntz, Jr., Executive Director, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, P.O. Box 12157, Austin, Texas 78711, or facsimile 512/475-2872, or electronically: whkuntz@license.state.tx.us. The deadline for comments is 30 days after publication in the Texas Register .

The amendment is proposed under Texas Government Code, Chapter 57, §57.045 which authorizes the commission to set license and examination fees for the licensed court interpreter program and Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 51, §51.202(a) which requires the Department to set fees in amounts reasonable and necessary to cover the costs of administering programs or activities, including issuing licenses.

The statutory provisions affected by the proposal are those set forth in Texas Government Code, Chapter 57 and Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 51. No other statutes, articles, or codes are affected by the proposal.

§80.80.Fees.

(a) All fees are non-refundable.

(b) The original license application filing fee shall be $175.

(c) The renewal application filing fee shall be $100.

(d) The late renewal fee shall be $50.

(e) [ (d) ] The fee for obtaining a duplicate license, making a change in name or address, or obtaining an additional language endorsement shall be $50 each.

(f) [ (e) ] Each language examination shall have a separate fee of $100 for the written examination and $300 for the oral examination.

This agency hereby certifies that the proposal has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be within the agency's legal authority to adopt.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on April 8, 2003.

TRD-200302331

William H. Kuntz, Jr.

Executive Director

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation

Earliest possible date of adoption: May 25, 2003

For further information, please call: (512) 463-7348