SB 1818: provisional licenses for military families while paperwork processes

Caption

relating to the issuance of a provisional license to certain military service members, military veterans, and military spouses to engage in a business or occupation in this state.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Service members, veterans and spouses can work while their application is processed.

The bill requires Texas licensing agencies to promptly give a temporary provisional license to military service members, veterans and military spouses while their full license application or out-of-state license confirmation is being processed. It touches state licensing agencies and the military families who apply to work in licensed jobs in Texas. On the ground, these applicants can start working right away, with the temporary license lasting until the agency decides or for 180 days, whichever comes first, and agencies must write rules by December 1, 2025.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB1818 · 2025-03-03

SOLD BY

Sen. Kelly HancockRSenate 9

+ 2 coauthors

ITEM

relating to the issuance of a provisional license to certain military service members, military veterans, and military spouses to engage in a business or occupation in this state.

WHAT IT DOES

Service members, veterans and spouses can work while their application is processed.

The bill requires Texas licensing agencies to promptly give a temporary provisional license to military service members, veterans and military spouses while their full license application or out-of-state license confirmation is being processed. It touches state licensing agencies and the military families who apply to work in licensed jobs in Texas. On the ground, these applicants can start working right away, with the temporary license lasting until the agency decides or for 180 days, whichever comes first, and agencies must write rules by December 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version S · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · April 4, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Mar 3, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Mar 3, 2025Filed
Mar 13, 2025Read first time
Mar 13, 2025Referred to Vet Affairs
Mar 18, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Mar 18, 2025Considered in public hearing
Mar 18, 2025Testimony taken in committee
Mar 18, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 1, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 1, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 3, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 3, 2025Vote taken in committee
Apr 7, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
Apr 7, 2025Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
Apr 7, 2025Committee report printed and distributed
Apr 8, 2025Co-author authorized
Apr 9, 2025Placed on intent calendar
Apr 16, 2025Co-author authorized
Apr 16, 2025Placed on local & uncontested calendar
Apr 16, 2025Laid before the Senate
Apr 16, 2025Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
Apr 16, 2025Vote recorded in Journal
Apr 16, 2025Three day rule suspended
Apr 16, 2025Record vote
Apr 16, 2025Read 3rd time
Apr 16, 2025Passed
Apr 16, 2025Record vote
Apr 16, 2025Reported engrossed
Apr 17, 2025Received from the Senate
Apr 22, 2025Read first time
Apr 22, 2025Referred to Licensing & Administrative Procedures
Apr 29, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 29, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 8, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 8, 2025Committee report distributed
May 9, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 19, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 21, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
May 22, 2025Read 2nd time
May 22, 2025Passed to 3rd reading
May 22, 2025Record vote RV#3264
May 22, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 23, 2025Rules suspended
May 23, 2025Additional sponsor(s) authorized
May 23, 2025Read 3rd time
May 23, 2025Passed
May 23, 2025Record vote RV#3342
May 23, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 23, 2025House passage reported
May 23, 2025Reported enrolled
May 26, 2025Signed in the Senate
May 26, 2025Signed in the House
May 27, 2025Sent to the Governor
Jun 20, 2025Signed by the Governor
Jun 20, 2025Effective on 9/1/25

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 137 yea · 0 nay

Senate · 31 yea · 0 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 23, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · Apr 16, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Kelly Hancock

Donors

Stephen Brauer JR$57,791

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$14,750

Q Political Action Committee$12,500

Top donors to Texans for Kelly Hancock SPAC during his Senate service. Not tied to this bill.

Sources

Gifts to Texans for Kelly Hancock SPAC dated July 1, 2024 to June 18, 2025, while he served in the Senate.

Derived from itemized gifts. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

Votes5

House May 23, 2025

Yea: 137
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 4
Excused: 7

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 3342

SB 1818 was passed by (Record 3342): 137 Yeas, 0 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 137 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 4 (derived from named list)
Excused: 7 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

House May 22, 2025

Yea: 142
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 1
Excused: 5

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 3264

SB 1818 was passed to third reading by (Record 3264): 142 Yeas, 0 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 142 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 1 (derived from named list)
Excused: 5 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate Apr 16, 2025

Final passage

Yea: 31
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records final passage. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

Sources

CSSB 1818 (Hancock) Relating to the issuance of a license or provisional license to certain military service members, military veterans, and military spouses to engage in a business or occupation in this state. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 31 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate Apr 16, 2025

Suspension of the three-day rule

Yea: 31
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records suspension of the three-day rule. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

Sources

CSSB 1818 (Hancock) Relating to the issuance of a license or provisional license to certain military service members, military veterans, and military spouses to engage in a business or occupation in this state. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 31 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate Apr 16, 2025

Passage to engrossment

Yea: Not printed
Nay: Not printed
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records passage to engrossment. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.

Sources

CSSB 1818 (Hancock) Relating to the issuance of a license or provisional license to certain military service members, military veterans, and military spouses to engage in a business or occupation in this state. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: Not printed
Nay: Not printed
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses7

For: 5
Against: 0
On: 2

Names

For

Endeavors1 registration
Self; VFW Dept of Texas1 registration
Texas Association of Goodwills1 registration
Texas Coalition of Veterans Organizations1 registration
The American Legion, Dept of Texas1 registration

On

TDLR2 registrations

Sources

7 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

Senate witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version S · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · April 4, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Mar 3, 2025

06/20/2025 E Effective on 9/1/25

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · Senate Committee Report · Engrossed · House Committee Report · Enrolled

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors

César BlancoDSenate 29

Royce WestDSenate 23

Companion

HB 5043 by McQueeney (identical)

Subjects

Military & Veterans

Occupational Regulation--Health Occupations

Occupational Regulation--Other Trades & Professions

State Agencies, Boards & Commissions

Text

The text as introduced · 284 words

89R10592 RAL-D

By: Hancock
S.B. No. 1818

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the issuance of a provisional license to certain

military service members, military veterans, and military spouses

to engage in a business or occupation in this state.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 55.004, Occupations Code, is amended by

adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:

(b-1) On receipt by a state agency of an application for a

license in accordance with this section, the agency shall promptly

issue a provisional license to the applicant while the agency

processes the application. A provisional license issued under this

subsection expires on the earlier of:

(1) the date the agency approves or denies the

provisional license holder's application for the license; or

(2) the 180th day after the date the provisional

license is issued.

SECTION 2. Section 55.0041, Occupations Code, is amended by

adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:

(b-1) On receipt by a state agency of the notice and

information required by Subsections (b)(1) and (2), the agency

shall promptly issue a provisional license to the military service

member or military spouse pending the issuance of a confirmation

under Subsection (b)(3). A provisional license issued under this

subsection expires on the earlier of:

(1) the date the agency issues or denies confirmation

under Subsection (b)(3); or

(2) the 180th day after the date the provisional

license is issued.

SECTION 3. Not later than December 1, 2025, a state agency,

as defined by Section 55.001, Occupations Code, shall adopt rules

to implement Sections 55.004(b-1) and 55.0041(b-1), Occupations

Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Verdict: No flags

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

House May 23, 2025

House May 22, 2025

Senate Apr 16, 2025

Senate Apr 16, 2025

Senate Apr 16, 2025

For

On

Companion