FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 1534

                         C 356 L 95

                     Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Changing the registration requirements relating to professional land surveyors and engineers.

Sponsors:  Representatives Cairnes, Romero, Lisk and Cody.

House Committee on Commerce & Labor

Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce & Trade

Background:  Engineers and land surveyors must register with the Department of Licensing before engaging in the "practice of engineering" or the "practice of land surveying."  Engineer registration is divided into two categories, "professional engineer" and "engineer-in-training."  For land surveyors, there is no category of registration equivalent to "engineer-in-training."

A "professional engineer" must have eight years or more of specific work experience approved by the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors and must have passed an examination prescribed by the board.  Graduation from a school or college with an approved engineering curriculum of four years or more is considered the equivalent of four years of work experience.  Each year, up to four years, in an approved program is considered the equivalent of one year of experience.

An "engineer-in-training" must have at least four years of experience as required for a professional engineer and must have passed the first part of a two-part examination.

A "professional land surveyor" must have six years or more of specific work experience approved by the board and must have passed an examination prescribed by the board.  Graduation from an approved curriculum of four years or more is considered the equivalent of four years of work experience.

In Washington, engineers and land surveyors who retire do not have a special license status.  They simply choose to continue renewing their license or allow it to become delinquent.

Summary:  The registration provisions relating to land surveyors are amended to make the land surveyor registration requirements roughly equivalent to the engineer registration requirements.

A "professional land surveyor" must have eight years or more of specific work experience and must have passed an examination prescribed by the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.  Graduation from an approved curriculum of four years or more is considered the equivalent of four years of work experience.  Approved postgraduate college courses shall be considered for up to one additional year of experience.

A new category of registrant, a "land surveyor-in-training," is created.  A "land surveyor-in-training" must have at least four years of experience as required for a professional land surveyor and must have passed the first part of a two-part examination. 

The examinations for "engineer-in-training" and "land surveyor-in-training" registration may be taken after the applicant has achieved senior standing at an approved school.

The Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors may create a special license status for retired professional engineers and land surveyors and may exempt them from payment of any license renewal fee.

Votes on Final Passage:

House     97 0

Senate    45 1 (Senate amended)

House     96 0 (House concurred)

Effective:  July 1, 1996