HOUSE BILL REPORT

                      SB 5103

                           As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to registration of engineers.

Brief Description:  Concerning the registration of engineers.

Sponsor(s):  Senators Craswell, Nelson, McMullen and Matson; by request of Department of Licensing.

Brief History:

   Reported by House Committee on:

Commerce & Labor, March 29, 1991, DP;

Passed House, April 8, 1991, 95-0;

Passed Legislature, 95-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

COMMERCE & LABOR

Majority Report: Do pass.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Heavey, Chair; Cole, Vice Chair; Fuhrman, Ranking Minority Member; Lisk, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Franklin; Jones; R. King; O'Brien; Prentice; Vance; and Wilson.

Staff:  Jim Kelley (786-7166).

Background:  Within the Department of Licensing, the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors annually processes approximately 3,000 applications for registration.  

Land surveyors and engineers obtaining a license through reciprocity do not pay a certificate fee.  Professional engineers registered by examination must pay a certificate fee after successful completion of the second stage of the examination.

If an applicant for registration fails an examination, he or she may retake the examination after six months without payment of an additional fee.

Nonresident engineers may practice in Washington up to 30 days per year.  The board has no clear authority to require verification of their qualifications to practice.

The law allows the board to grant reciprocal registration to engineers and land surveyors who are registered in a state that gives "like consideration" to applicants from Washington.

Many sections of the law contain gender specific language.

Summary of Bill:  All professional engineer and land surveyor candidates must pay for their certificate as part of their initial application fee.

The director of the Department of Licensing may charge a fee for the first reexamination after an applicant for registration fails an examination.

A nonresident may practice in Washington an aggregate of 30 days or less per year only if the board of registration, upon receipt of an application and fee, determines that the nonresident is registered to practice in his or her own state or country.  In that case, the board will issue a permit authorizing temporary practice.

The board may issue a certificate of registration to applicants who are registered in a state that has registration requirements at least equal to Washington requirements, regardless of whether that state gives like consideration to applicants from Washington.

Gender specific language is eliminated.  Language is made more consistent with the administrative procedure act.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This bill makes needed technical changes.  It is identical to the House bill that passed out of this committee.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Alan Rathbun, Department of Licensing, Engineers and Land Surveyors Board (in favor).