Governor Abbott Vetoes House Bill 3043 (84R)
Pursuant to Article IV, Section 14, of the Texas Constitution, I, Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas, do hereby disapprove of and veto House Bill No. 3043 as passed by the Eighty-Fourth Texas Legislature, Regular Session, because of the following objections:
State licensure of occupations in many cases impedes free market competition and drives up the costs of services for consumers. Texas law currently allows for the licensure of journeymen linemen. Only 33 individuals have applied for the license since it was authorized in 2013. Current law does not require a license in order to conduct journeyman lineman work, nor should it. The license serves no imperative public purpose, requires unnecessary government bureaucracy, and creates the potential for unionized workers to artificially increase prices for consumers.
House Bill 3043 is an attempt to increase the number of applicants seeking to be licensed and regulated by the state for conducting lineman work. This would only increase the potential for the license to be used in an anti-competitive manner. Raising the barriers to entry into an occupation should be avoided whenever possible.
Since the Eighty-Fourth Texas Legislature, Regular Session, by its adjournment has prevented the return of this bill, I am filing these objections in the office of the Secretary of State and giving notice thereof by this public proclamation according to the aforementioned constitutional provision.
GREG ABBOTT
Governor
View a PDF of the veto here