The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) proposes amendments to §535.64, concerning Accreditation of Schools and Approval of Courses and Instructors, and proposes to adopt by reference a revised course application form. Form ED 3-1, Course Application, has been revised to obtain additional information regarding the type of course, the provider's contact information, the delivery format, a sample course completion certificate, approval from the Distance Learning Certification Center for online courses, and a permission letter for courses using another provider's materials. The amendments also update a reference to Form ED 7-1, Instructor Manual Guidelines, which erroneously referred to an outdated version of the form, and a reference to the instructor approval requirements, which was not updated when the lettering of the subsections changed at the time of previous amendments to the section.

Devon V. Bijansky, Assistant General Counsel, has determined that for the first five-year period the amendments are in effect, there will be no fiscal implications for state or local governments as a result of enforcing or administering the amendments. There is no anticipated economic cost to persons who are required to comply with the amendments as proposed. There is no anticipated impact on small businesses, micro-businesses, or local or state employment as a result of implementing the proposed amendments.

Ms. Bijansky also has determined that for each year of the first five years the section as proposed is in effect the public benefit anticipated as a result of enforcing the section will be greater efficiency for agency staff as well as applicants because of reduced need to request follow-up materials.

Comments on the proposed rule may be submitted to Devon V. Bijansky, Assistant 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 ensure compliance with the provisions of the Act.

The statute affected by the proposed amendments is Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1101. No other statute, code or article is affected by the proposed amendments.