(a) Fee waiver based on military experience.
  (1) The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) waives the application fee described in §555.11(a)(2) of this chapter (relating to Application Requirements) and the initial license fee described in §555.31(a)(2) of this chapter (relating to Initial License) for an applicant if HHSC receives and approves a request for a waiver of fees from the applicant in accordance with this subsection.
  (2) To request a waiver of fees under this subsection, an applicant must submit a written request for a waiver with the applicant's initial license application submitted to HHSC in accordance with §555.11 of this chapter. The applicant must include with the request:
    (A) documentation of the applicant's status as a military service member or military veteran that is acceptable to HHSC; and
    (B) documentation of the type and dates of the service, training, and education the applicant received, and an explanation as to why the applicant's military service, training, or education substantially meets all of the requirements for licensure under this chapter.
  (3) Documentation of military status that is acceptable to HHSC includes:
    (A) for status as a military service member, a copy of a current military service order issued to the applicant by the armed forces of the United States, the State of Texas, or another state; and
    (B) for status as a military veteran, a copy of a military service discharge order issued to the applicant by the armed forces of the United States, the State of Texas, or another state.
  (4) If HHSC requests additional documentation, the applicant must submit the requested documentation.
  (5) HHSC approves a request for a waiver of fees submitted in accordance with this subsection if HHSC determines that the applicant is a military service member or a military veteran and the applicant's military service, training, or education substantially meets all of the requirements for licensure under this chapter.
(b) Fee waiver for a military spouse.
  (1) HHSC waives the application fee described in §555.11(a)(2) of this chapter and the initial license fee described in §555.31(a)(2) of this chapter for an applicant who is a military spouse if HHSC receives and approves a request for a waiver of fees from the applicant and documentation of the applicant's status as a military spouse.
  (2) Documentation of military status that is acceptable to HHSC includes:
    (A) a copy of a marriage certificate issued to the applicant by a state of the United States or a foreign government; and
    (B) a copy of a current military service order issued to the applicant's spouse by the armed forces of the United States, the State of Texas, or another state.
  (3) If HHSC requests additional documentation, the applicant must submit the requested documentation.
(c) Fee waiver based on license issued by another jurisdiction.
  (1) HHSC waives the application fee described in §§555.11(a)(2) of this chapter and the provisional initial license fee described in §555.32(a)(3) of this chapter (relating to Provisional License) for an applicant if HHSC receives and approves a request for a waiver of fees in accordance with this subsection.
  (2) To request a waiver of fees under this subsection, an applicant must include a written request for a waiver of fees with the applicant's provisional license application that is submitted to HHSC in accordance with §555.32 of this chapter. The applicant must include with the request documentation of the applicant's status as a military service member, military veteran, or military spouse that is acceptable to HHSC.
  (3) Documentation of military status that is acceptable to HHSC includes:
    (A) for status as a military service member, a copy of a current military service order issued to the applicant by the armed forces of the United States, the State of Texas, or another state;
    (B) for status as a military veteran, a copy of a military service discharge order issued to the applicant by the armed forces of the United States, the State of Texas, or another state; and
    (C) for status as a military spouse:
      (i) a copy of a marriage certificate issued to the applicant by a state of the United States or a foreign government; and
      (ii) a copy of a current military service order issued to the applicant's spouse by the armed forces of the United States, the State of Texas, or another state.
  (4) If HHSC requests additional documentation, the applicant must submit the requested documentation.
  (5) HHSC approves a request for a waiver of fees submitted in accordance with this subsection if HHSC determines that:
    (A) the applicant holds a license in good standing in another jurisdiction with licensing requirements substantially equivalent to the requirements for a license under this chapter; and
    (B) the applicant is a military service member, a military veteran, or a military spouse.
(d) Additional time for license renewal.
  (1) HHSC gives a nursing facility administrator (NFA) an additional two years to complete the license renewal requirements described in §555.43 of this subchapter (relating to License Renewal) and §555.35 of this subchapter (relating to Continuing Education Requirements for License Renewal), if HHSC receives and approves a request for additional time to complete the licensing renewal requirements from an NFA in accordance with this subsection.
  (2) To request additional time to complete license renewal requirements, an NFA must:
    (A) submit a written request for additional time to HHSC before the expiration date of the NFA's license; and
    (B) include with the request, documentation of the NFA's status as a military service member that is acceptable to HHSC, which includes a copy of a current military service order issued to the NFA by the armed forces of the United States, the State of Texas, or another state.
  (3) If HHSC requests additional documentation, the NFA must submit the requested documentation.
  (4) HHSC approves a request for two additional years to complete license renewal requirements submitted in accordance with this subsection if HHSC determines that the NFA is a military service member, except HHSC does not approve a request if HHSC granted the NFA a previous extension and the NFA has not completed the license renewal requirements during the two-year extension period.
  (5) If an NFA does not submit the written request described by paragraph (2) of this subsection before the expiration date of the NFA's license, HHSC will consider a request after the expiration date of the license if the NFA establishes to the satisfaction of HHSC that the request was not submitted before the expiration date of the NFA's license because the NFA was serving as a military service member at the time the request was due.
(e) Credit toward internship requirements.
  (1) HHSC gives an applicant credit toward the internship requirements for an administrator-in-training (AIT) described in §555.13 of this chapter (relating to Internship Requirements) based on the applicant's military service, training, or education if HHSC receives and approves a request for credit from an applicant in accordance with this subsection.
  (2) To request credit for military service, training, or education, the applicant must submit a written request for credit to HHSC with the applicant's initial license application. The applicant must include, with the request, documentation of the type and dates of the service, training, and education the applicant received and an explanation as to how the applicant's military service, training, or education is substantially similar to the training or education requirements described in §555.13 of this chapter.
  (3) If HHSC requests additional documentation, the applicant must submit the requested documentation.
  (4) HHSC approves a request for credit submitted in accordance with this subsection if HHSC determines that the military service, training, or education that the applicant received is substantially similar to the training or education requirements described in §555.12 of this chapter (relating to Licensure Requirements).
(f) Renewal of expired license.
  (1) HHSC renews an expired license if HHSC receives and approves a request for renewal from a former NFA in accordance with this subsection.
Cont'd...