87R10614 JES-F
 
  By: Button H.B. No. 3420
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the regulation of land surveyors by the Texas Board of
  Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 1001.216, Occupations Code, is amended
  by adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to read as follows:
         (a-1)  The advisory committee appointed under Subsection (a)
  may, on its own initiative or at the request of any interested
  person, prepare a written report or recommendation to the board on
  any surveying-related subject regulated by the board.
         (a-2)  The advisory committee appointed under Subsection (a)
  shall maintain a written public record of each subject discussed
  and action taken at the committee's meetings.
         SECTION 2.  Section 1071.254(a), Occupations Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  An applicant for registration as a registered
  professional land surveyor must[:
               [(1)]  hold a certificate as a surveyor-in-training and
  must:
               (1)  [;
               [(2)]  have:
                     (A)  at least two years of experience satisfactory
  to the board as a surveyor-in-training in performing surveying in
  delegated responsible charge as a subordinate to a surveyor
  registered or licensed to engage in the practice of surveying in
  this state or in another state having registration or licensing
  requirements equivalent to the requirements of this state; and
                     (B) [(3)  have] earned a [an associate or]
  bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher
  education that included at least 32 semester hours in a combination
  of courses acceptable to the board in:
                           (i) [(A)]  civil engineering;
                           (ii) [(B)]  land surveying;
                           (iii) [(C)]  mathematics;
                           (iv) [(D)]  photogrammetry;
                           (v) [(E)]  forestry;
                           (vi) [(F)]  land law; or
                           (vii) [(G)]  the physical sciences; or
               (2)  have:
                     (A)  at least six years of experience satisfactory
  to the board as a surveyor-in-training in performing surveying in
  delegated responsible charge as a subordinate to a surveyor
  registered or licensed to engage in the practice of surveying in
  this state or in another state having registration or licensing
  requirements equivalent to the requirements of this state; and
                     (B)  earned an associate degree in surveying from
  an accredited institution of higher education; or
               (3)  have:
                     (A)  at least eight years of experience
  satisfactory to the board as a surveyor-in-training in performing
  surveying in delegated responsible charge as a subordinate to a
  surveyor registered or licensed to engage in the practice of
  surveying in this state or in another state having registration or
  licensing requirements equivalent to the requirements of this
  state; and
                     (B)  earned an associate degree from an accredited
  institution of higher education that included at least 32 semester
  hours in a combination of courses acceptable to the board in: 
                           (i)  civil engineering;
                           (ii)  land surveying;
                           (iii)  mathematics;
                           (iv)  photogrammetry;
                           (v)  forestry;
                           (vi)  land law; or
                           (vii)  the physical sciences.
         SECTION 3.  Section 1001.601(a), Occupations Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  On its own initiative or at the request of any
  interested person, the board shall prepare a written advisory
  opinion about:
               (1)  an interpretation of this chapter or Chapter 1071;
  or
               (2)  the application of this chapter or Chapter 1071 to
  a person in regard to a specified existing or hypothetical factual
  situation.
         SECTION 4.  Section 1071.254(c), Occupations Code, is
  repealed.
         SECTION 5.  Section 1071.254(a), Occupations Code, as
  amended by this Act, applies only to an application for
  registration as a registered professional land surveyor filed with
  the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors on or
  after the effective date of this Act. An application for a
  registration filed before the effective date of this Act is
  governed by the law in effect on the date the application was filed,
  and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.