hb444_HB_444_AP_4.html
05 LC 28 2158/AP
House Bill 444 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
By: Representatives Graves of the 137th, Rogers of the 26th, Harbin of the 118th, and Hembree of the 67th

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend Chapter 15 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to professional engineers and land surveyors, so as to change the requirements for eligibility for certification as an engineer-in-training and eligibility for a certificate of registration as a professional engineer; to change requirements for eligibility for certification as a land surveyor-in-training and for a certificate of registration as a land surveyor; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.
Chapter 15 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to professional engineers and land surveyors, is amended by striking Code Section 43-15-8, relating to engineer-in-training certificate, and inserting in lieu thereof a new Code Section 43-15-8 to read as follows:
"43-15-8.
(a) To be eligible for certification as an engineer-in-training, an applicant applying prior to July 1, 2010, must meet the following minimum requirements:
(1)(A) Graduate in an engineering curriculum of not less than four years from a school or college approved by the board; and
(B) Pass a written examination in fundamental engineering subjects (engineer-in-training examination);
(2)(A) Graduate in an engineering curriculum of not less than four years or in a curriculum of four or more years in engineering technology or related science, from a school or college approved by the board; and
(B) Pass a written examination in fundamental engineering subjects (engineer-in-training examination); or
(3)(A) Acquire not less than eight years of experience in engineering work of a nature satisfactory to the board; and
(B) Pass a written examination in fundamental engineering subjects (engineer-in-training examination).
(b) To be eligible for certification as an engineer-in-training, an applicant applying on or after July 1, 2010, must meet the following minimum requirements:
(1)(A) Graduate in an engineering curriculum of not less than four years from a school or college approved by the board; and
(B) Pass a written examination in fundamental engineering subjects (engineer-in-training examination); or
(2)(A) Graduate in an engineering curriculum of not less than four years or in a curriculum of four or more years in engineering technology or related science from a school or college approved by the board; and
(B) Pass a written examination in fundamental engineering subjects (engineer-in-training examination)."

SECTION 2.
Said chapter is further amended by striking Code Section 43-15-9, relating to professional engineer certificate of registration, and inserting in lieu thereof a new Code Section 43-15-9 to read as follows:
"43-15-9.
(a) To be eligible for a certificate of registration as a professional engineer, an applicant applying prior to July 1, 2013, must meet the following minimum requirements:
(1)(A) Obtain certification by the board as an engineer-in-training under paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of Code Section 43-15-8;
(B) Acquire a specific record of not less than four yearś experience in engineering work of a character satisfactory to the board which indicates the applicant is competent to practice professional engineering; and
(C) Subsequently pass a written examination in the principles and practice of engineering (professional engineeŕs examination);
(2)(A) Obtain certification by the board as an engineer-in-training under paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of Code Section 43-15-8;
(B) Acquire a specific record of not less than seven yearś experience in engineering work of a character satisfactory to the board which indicates the applicant is competent to practice professional engineering; and
(C) Subsequently pass a written examination in the principles and practice of engineering (professional engineeŕs examination);
(3)(A) Obtain certification by the board as an engineer-in-training under paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of Code Section 43-15-8;
(B) Acquire a specific record of not less than seven yearś experience in engineering work of a character satisfactory to the board which indicates the applicant is competent to practice professional engineering; and
(C) Subsequently pass a written examination in the principles and practice of engineering (professional engineeŕs examination); or
(4)(A) Graduate in an engineering or related science curriculum of not less than four academic years;
(B) Acquire a specific record of not less than 16 yearś experience in engineering work, of which at least eight years have been in responsible charge of important engineering work of a character satisfactory to the board, which indicates the applicant is competent to practice professional engineering; and
(C) Subsequently pass a written examination in the principles and practice of engineering (professional engineeŕs examination).
(b) To be eligible for a certificate of registration as a professional engineer, an applicant applying on or after July 1, 2013, must meet the following minimum requirements:
(1)(A) Obtain certification by the board as an engineer-in-training under paragraph (1) of subsection (a) or paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of Code Section 43-15-8;
(B) Acquire a specific record of not less than four yearś experience in engineering work of a character satisfactory to the board which indicates the applicant is competent to practice professional engineering; and
(C) Subsequently pass a written examination in the principles and practice of engineering (professional engineeŕs examination); or
(2)(A) Obtain certification by the board as an engineer-in-training under paragraph (2) of subsection (a) or paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of Code Section 43-15-8;
(B) Acquire a specific record of not less than seven yearś experience in engineering work of a character satisfactory to the board which indicates the applicant is competent to practice professional engineering; and
(C) Subsequently pass a written examination in the principles and practice of engineering (professional engineeŕs examination)."

SECTION 3.
Said chapter is further amended by striking Code Section 43-15-12, relating to land surveyor-in-training certificate, and inserting in lieu thereof a new Code Section 43-15-12 to read as follows:
"43-15-12.
(a) To be eligible for certification as a land surveyor-in-training, an applicant applying prior to July 1, 2010, must meet the following minimum requirements:
(1)(A) Earn a bacheloŕs degree in a curriculum approved by the board; or
(B) Earn an associate degree, or its equivalent, in a curriculum approved by the board and acquire not less than two years of combined office and field experience in land surveying of a nature satisfactory to the board; or
(C) Earn a high school diploma, or its equivalent, and acquire not less than four yearś experience in land surveying of a nature satisfactory to the board; and
(2) Acquire a minimum of 15 quarter 12 semester hourś credit, or its equivalent, in land surveying subjects in a course of study approved by the board; provided, however, that on and after January 1, 1995, the minimum requirement shall be 20 quarter hourś credit, five of which shall be three hours are in hydrology; and
(3) Subsequently pass the board́s written examination in the fundamentals of land surveying (land surveyor-in-training examination) Fundamentals of Land Surveying (FLS) examination, prepared and graded by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), or any other examination as may be approved and required by the board.
(b) To be eligible for certification as a land surveyor-in-training, an applicant applying on or after July 1, 2010, must meet the following minimum requirements:
(1)(A) Earn a bacheloŕs degree in a curriculum approved by the board consisting of a minimum of 18 semester hourś or 30 quarter hourś credit, or the equivalent, in land surveying subjects, including a minimum of three semester hours or five quarter hours of hydrology; or
(B) Earn a bacheloŕs degree in a curriculum approved by the board and separately acquire a minimum of 18 semester hourś or 30 quarter hourś credit, or the equivalent, in land surveying subjects, including a minimum of three semester hours or five quarter hours of hydrology from a curriculum approved by the board; and
(2) Subsequently pass the Fundamentals of Land Surveying (FLS) examination, prepared and graded by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), or any other examination as may be approved and required by the board."

SECTION 4.
Said chapter is further amended by striking Code Section 43-15-13, relating to land surveyor certificate of registration, and inserting in lieu thereof a new Code Section 43-15-13 to read as follows:
"43-15-13.
(a) To be eligible for a certificate of registration as a land surveyor, an applicant applying before July 1, 2013, must meet the following minimum requirements:
(1)(A) Obtain certification as a land surveyor-in-training under subparagraph (a)(1)(A) of paragraph (1) and paragraph and paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (a) of Code Section 43-15-12;
(B) Acquire a specific record of the equivalent of not less than four years of combined office and field experience in land surveying with a minimum of three yearś experience in responsible charge of land surveying projects under the supervision of a registered land surveyor or such other supervision deemed by the board to be the equivalent thereof; and
(C) Subsequently pass a written examination on the principles and practices of land surveying (PLS), prepared and graded by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), or any other examination as may be approved and required by the board, and a written examination on the laws of this state relating to land surveying (land surveyor examination);
(2)(A) Obtain certification as a land surveyor-in-training under subparagraph (a)(1)(B) of paragraph (1) and paragraph and paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (a) of Code Section 43-15-12;
(B) Acquire an additional specific record of the equivalent of not less than four years of combined office and field experience in land surveying which, together with the qualifying experience under subparagraph (a)(1)(B) of paragraph (1) of Code Section 43-15-12, includes not less than four yearś experience in responsible charge of land surveying projects under the supervision of a registered land surveyor or such other supervision deemed by the board to be the equivalent thereof; and
(C) Subsequently pass a written examination on the principles and practices of land surveying (PLS), prepared and graded by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), or any other examination as may be approved and required by the board, and a written examination on the laws of Georgia relating to land surveying (land surveyor examination); or
(3)(A) Obtain certification as a land surveyor-in-training under subparagraph (a)(1)(C) of paragraph (1) and paragraph and paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (a) of Code Section 43-15-12;
(B) Acquire an additional specific record of not less than four years of experience in land surveying which, together with the qualifying experience under subparagraph (a)(1)(C) of paragraph (1) of Code Section 43-15-12, includes not less than six yearś experience in responsible charge of land surveying under the supervision of a registered land surveyor or such other supervision deemed by the board to be the equivalent thereof and of a grade and character satisfactory to the board indicating that the applicant is competent to practice land surveying; and
(C) Subsequently pass a written examination on the principles and practices of land surveying (PLS), prepared and graded by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), or any other examination as may be approved and required by the board, and a written examination on the laws of this state relating to land surveying (land surveyor examination); or
(4)(A) Obtain certification as a land surveyor-in-training under subsection (b) of Code Section 43-15-12;
(B) Acquire a specific record of the equivalent of not less than four years of combined office and field experience in land surveying with a minimum of three yearś experience in responsible charge of land surveying projects under the supervision of a registered land surveyor or such other supervision deemed by the board to be the equivalent thereof; and
(C) Subsequently pass a written examination on the principles and practices of land surveying (PLS), prepared and graded by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), or any other examination as may be approved and required by the board, and a written examination on the laws of this state relating to land surveying (land surveyor examination).
(b) To be eligible for a certificate of registration as a land surveyor, an applicant applying on or after July 1, 2013, must meet the following minimum requirements:
(1)(A) Obtain certification as a land surveyor-in-training under subsection (b) of Code Section 43-15-12;
(B) Acquire a specific record of the equivalent of not less than four years of combined office and field experience in land surveying with a minimum of three yearś experience in responsible charge of land surveying projects under the supervision of a registered land surveyor or such other supervision deemed by the board to be the equivalent thereof; and
(C) Subsequently pass a written examination on the principles and practices of land surveying (PLS), prepared and graded by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), or any other examination as may be approved and required by the board, and a written examination on the laws of this state relating to land surveying (land surveyor examination)."

SECTION 5.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.