AN ACT Relating to engineers and land surveyors; amending RCW 18.43.030, 18.43.035, 18.43.110, and 18.43.120; and repealing RCW 18.43.090.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. Section 3, chapter 283, Laws of 1947 as last amended by section 35, chapter 287, Laws of 1984 and RCW 18.43.030 are each amended to read as follows:

A state board of registration for professional engineers and land surveyors is hereby created which shall exercise all of the powers and perform all of the duties conferred upon it by this chapter. After July 9, 1986, the board shall consist of ((~~five registered professional engineers~~)) seven members, who shall be appointed by the governor and shall have the qualifications as hereinafter required. ((The members of the first board shall be appointed within thirty days after June 11, 1947, to serve for the following terms: One member for one year, one member for two years, one member for three years, one member for four years, and one member for five years, from the date of their appointment, or until their successors are duly appointed and qualified. Every member of the board shall receive a certificate of his appointment from the governor and before beginning his term of office shall file with the secretary of state his written oath or affirmation for the faithful discharge of his official duty.)) The terms of board members in office on the effective date of this 1986 act shall not be affected. The first additional member shall be appointed for a four-year term and the second additional member shall be appointed for a three-year term. On the expiration of the term of any member, the governor shall ((~~in the manner hereinbefore provided~~)) appoint a successor for a term of five years ((~~a registered professional engineer having the qualifications as hereinafter required,~~)) to take the place of the member whose term on said board is about to expire. However, no member shall serve more than two consecutive terms on the board. Each member shall hold office until the expiration of the term for which such member is appointed or until a successor shall have been duly appointed and shall have qualified.

Five members of the board shall be registered professional engineers licensed under the provisions of this chapter. Two members shall be registered professional land surveyors licensed under this chapter. Each of the members of the board shall have been actively engaged in the practice of engineering or land surveying for at least ten years subsequent to registration, five of which shall have been immediately prior to their appointment to the board.

Each member of the board shall be a citizen of the United States and shall have been a resident of this state for at least five years immediately preceding his appointment((, and shall have been engaged in the practice of the profession of engineering for at least twelve years, and shall have been in responsible charge of important engineering work for at least five years. Responsible charge of engineering teaching may be construed as responsible charge of important engineering work)).

Each member of the board shall be compensated in accordance with RCW 43.03.240 and, in addition thereto, shall be reimbursed for travel expenses incurred in carrying out the provisions of this chapter in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

The governor may remove any member of the board for misconduct, incompetency, or neglect of duty. Vacancies in the membership of the board shall be filled for the unexpired term by appointment by the governor as hereinabove provided.

Sec. 2. Section 1, chapter 297, Laws of 1959 as last amended by section 10, chapter 75, Laws of 1977 and RCW 18.43.035 are each amended to read as follows:

The board may adopt and amend bylaws establishing its organization and method of operation, including but not limited to meetings, maintenance of books and records, publication of reports, code of ethics, and rosters, and adoption and use of a seal. ((~~Three~~)) Four members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of any business of the board. The board may employ such persons as are necessary to carry out its duties under this chapter. It may adopt rules and regulations reasonably necessary to administer the provisions of this chapter. It may conduct investigations concerning alleged violations of the provisions of this chapter. In making such investigations and in all proceedings under RCW 18.43.110, the chairman of the board or any member of the board acting in his place may administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses appearing before the board, subpoena witnesses and compel their attendance, and require the production of books, records, papers and documents. If any person shall refuse to obey any subpoena so issued, or shall refuse to testify or produce any books, records, papers or documents so required to be produced, the board may present its petition to the superior court of the county in which such person resides, setting forth the facts, and thereupon the court shall, in any proper case, enter a suitable order compelling compliance with the provisions of this chapter and imposing such other terms and conditions as the court may deem equitable. The board shall submit to the governor such periodic reports as may be required. A roster, showing the names and places of business of all registered professional engineers and land surveyors may be published for distribution, upon request, to professional engineers and land surveyors registered under this chapter and to the public.

Sec. 3. Section 14, chapter 283, Laws of 1947 as last amended by section 45, chapter 7, Laws of 1985 and RCW 18.43.110 are each amended to read as follows:

The board shall have the exclusive power to fine and reprimand the registrant and suspend or revoke the certificate of registration of any registrant who is found guilty of:

The practice of any fraud or deceit in obtaining a certificate of registration; or

Any gross negligence, incompetency, or misconduct in the practice of engineering or land surveying as a registered engineer or land surveyor.

Any person may prefer charges of fraud, deceit, gross negligence, incompetency, or misconduct against any registrant. Such charges shall be in writing and shall be sworn to by the person making them and shall be filed with the secretary of the board.

((~~All charges, unless dismissed by the board as unfounded or trivial, shall be heard by the board within three months after the date on which they have been preferred.~~)) All procedures related to hearings on such charges shall be in accordance with rules for a contested case, chapter 34.04 RCW, the Administrative Procedure Act.

If, after such hearing, a majority of the board vote in favor of finding the accused guilty, the board shall revoke or suspend the certificate of registration of such registered professional engineer or land surveyor.

The board, for reasons it deems sufficient, may reissue a certificate of registration to any person whose certificate has been revoked or suspended, providing a majority of the board vote in favor of such issuance. A new certificate of registration to replace any certificate revoked, lost, destroyed, or mutilated may be issued, subject to the rules of the board, and a charge determined by the director as provided in RCW 43.24.086 shall be made for such issuance.

Any person who shall feel aggrieved by any action of the board in denying or revoking his certificate of registration may appeal therefrom to the superior court of the county in which such person resides, and after full hearing, said court shall make such decree sustaining or revoking the action of the board as it may deem just and proper.

Fines imposed by the board shall not exceed one thousand dollars for each offense.

In addition to the imposition of civil penalties under this section, the board may refer violations of this chapter to the appropriate prosecuting attorney for charges under RCW 18.43.120.

Sec. 4. Section 15, chapter 283, Laws of 1947 and RCW 18.43.120 are each amended to read as follows:

Any person who shall practice, or offer to practice, engineering or land surveying in this state without being registered in accordance with the provisions of the chapter, or any person presenting or attempting to use as his own the certificate of registration or the seal of another, or any person who shall give any false or forged evidence of any kind to the board or to any member thereof in obtaining a certificate of registration, or any person who shall falsely impersonate any other registrant, or any person who shall attempt to use the expired or revoked certificate of registration, or any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

It shall be the duty of all officers of the state or any political subdivision thereof, to enforce the provisions of this chapter. The attorney general shall act as legal adviser of the board, and render such legal assistance as may be necessary in carrying out the provisions of this chapter.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Section 12, chapter 283, Laws of 1947 and RCW 18.43.090 are each repealed.