Brief Description: Requiring continuing education for land surveyors.

Sponsors: Senators Parlette, Roach, Finkbeiner, Deccio and Swecker.

Hearing Date: 3/17/05

Staff: Rebekah Ward (786-7106).

Background:

Land surveyors must be registered in order to practice land surveying in Washington State. The state Board of Registration for Engineers and Land Surveyors (Board), through the Department of Licensing, Business and Professions Division, regulates the practice of land surveying in Washington. Candidates for registration must have graduated from an approved program, have eight years of work experience, and have passed the required examinations. There are approximately 1,113 registered land surveyors and 174 land surveyors in training in Washington.

The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) is an organization composed of the professional regulatory boards of all states. This organization has drafted model rules requiring that licensees complete fifteen hours of continuing professional development each year. Seminars, workshops, college courses, professional or technical presentations, publishing a paper and various types of video and correspondence courses may all be used to meet this requirement. Most states have adopted these model rules and require continuing professional development hours (PDH) for land surveyors (twenty-three states require at least fifteen hours of PDH, and five states require eight to ten hours of PDH).

Summary of Bill:

By July 1, 2006, the Board must adopt rules "governing continuing professional development for land surveyors that are generally patterned after the model rules" of the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying. Beginning July 1, 2007, land surveyors renewing their registration certificates must verify to the Board that they have completed fifteen professional development hours per year.

Rules Authority:   The bill contains provisions requiring the Board to adopt rules.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.