The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) proposes an amendment to §535.62, concerning Acceptable Courses of Study.

The amendment to §535.62 changes the requirements for acceptability of correspondence courses offered to meet core education requirements for a real estate salesperson or broker license under the Real Estate License Act, Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1101. Currently correspondence courses must be offered by an accredited college or university. Under the proposed amendment, TREC would continue to accept correspondence courses offered by accredited colleges and universities, but correspondence courses approved by the commission and offered by schools accredited by the commission and acceptable correspondence courses approved by a real estate regulatory agency of another state could be used to meet education requirements for a real estate salesperson or broker license under the Real Estate License Act.

Karen Alexander, Staff Services Director, has determined that for the first five-year period the amendments are in effect there will be no significant fiscal implications for the state or for units of local government as a result of enforcing or administering the amendments. There is no anticipated impact on local or state employment as a result of implementing the amendments. There will not be an adverse economic impact on small businesses and micro-businesses as a result of implementing the amendment. The economic cost to persons who are required to comply with the proposed section will be the fee associated with becoming accredited by TREC if the person is not already a TREC accredited school, currently $400.

The proposed amendments contain provisions for licensed proprietary schools to continue operating in the same manner as currently established with the additional ability to offer correspondence courses. Further, businesses that have existing relationships with colleges and universities are not precluded from maintaining the relationship, but they will also be able to independently offer approved correspondence courses if the businesses become accredited or licensed with TREC.

Ms. Alexander also has determined that for each year of the first five years the amendments as proposed are in effect the public benefit anticipated as a result of enforcing the amendments will be that existing TREC education providers will be able to independently offer correspondence courses that applicants and licensees may use for education credit.

Comments on the proposal may be submitted to Loretta R. DeHay, General Counsel, Texas Real Estate Commission, P.O. Box 12188, Austin, Texas 78711-2188.

The amendments are proposed under Texas Occupations Code, §1101.151, which authorizes the Texas Real Estate Commission to make and enforce all rules and regulations necessary for the performance of its duties and to establish standards of conduct and ethics for its licensees in keeping with the purpose and intent of the Act to insure compliance with the provisions of the Act.

The statutes affected by this proposal are Texas Occupations Code, Chapters 1101 and 1102. No other statute, code or article is affected by the proposed amendments.