HB 1859 (88th Regular Legislative Session, 2023) amended Section 1302.5035 of the Occupations Code to lower the minimum age of a registered technician from 18 years of age to 16 years of age. As of September 1, 2023, a person 16 years of age or older may apply to become a registered air conditioning and refrigeration technician.
Importantly, HB 1859 also amended Section 1302.503 of the Occupations Code to specify that a person younger than 18 years of age who is acting (or offering to act) as a technician must at all times work under the direct supervision of a licensed ACR contractor or certified technician. This requires a registered technician under the age of 18 to be personally supervised at all times by a licensed ACR contractor or certified technician.