🔴An Act relating to licensing reciprocity agreements entered into by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
HB 11
🔴 HB 11: Licensing decisions moved to unelected agency
What it says it does:
HB 11 aims to make it easier for licensed professionals from other states to work in Texas by allowing the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) to approve reciprocity agreements.
What it actually changes:
The bill removes all other licensing agencies from the process and gives TDLR full control to define and approve which out-of-state licenses qualify as “substantially equivalent.” No statutory definition is provided. No appeals or public review are required.
Who is pushing for it:
Testimony and support came from business-backed and deregulatory groups including the Texas Association of Business, NFIB, Greater Houston Partnership, Goldwater Institute, Texas 2036, and the Coalition for Regulatory Efficiency and Reform.
Who benefits:
Industries like construction, trades, and cosmetology that are regulated by TDLR stand to gain faster access to labor. Lobbyists now only need to influence one agency instead of dozens of licensing boards.
Who gets left out or exposed:
Texas-based professionals must still complete the full process. Licensing boards for nurses, teachers, engineers, and others were cut from the bill. The public has no guaranteed input or visibility into who gets approved.
Why this matters long term:
This bill creates a precedent for silent deregulation. It shifts licensing power from public boards to a single agency, weakening checks and allowing definitions of safety and qualification to be shaped by politics, not standards.
What to watch next:
Future legislation could use this model to recognize private or out-of-state certifications across more fields, bypassing local standards, public hearings, or legislative debate.
Bottom line:
HB 11 fast-tracks deregulation by giving unelected agency heads the power to decide who gets to work in Texas, without transparency, public input, or equal standards for Texans.