BILL ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 200 By: Madden 3-15-95 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND Persons who practice "professional surveying" in Texas are required to be licensed by the Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying. Advances in technology and the performance of surveying services which are not under the supervision of a licensed surveyor require that the definition of "professional surveying" be revised to address these two issues. PURPOSE H.B. 200 amends the definition of "professional surveying". RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1: Amends Section 2(1), Professional Land Surveying Practices Act (Article 5282c, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes). (1) Deletes "for compensation" from definition of the practice of "professional surveying". Adds that the term of professional surveying includes application of knowledge of the principles of geodesy to the measurement and location of sites,points, in the air, on the surface of the earth, within underground workings for the purpose of determining areas and volumes. (c) adds easements to the list of items that require a surveyor for the purposes of determination. SECTION 2. Amends Section 3A, Professional Land Surveying Practices Act, (Art. 5282c, V.T.C.S.) 3A. Adds that a registered land surveyor is not required for a construction estimate, that does not involve the monumentation of a metes and bounds description. SECTION 3: Effective date. September 1, 1995. SECTION 4: Emergency clause. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE The original added accepted measuring methods that included the use of coordinate datums based on latitude and longitude; universal transverse mercator coordinates; Texas state plane coordinates; local horizontal coordinates; and national and local vertical datums. The substitute does not contain this language. The substitute adds application of the principles of geodesy to the measurement and location of sites, points, in the air, on the surface of the earth, within underground workings for the purpose of determining areas and volumes. The original did not contain this language. The substitute also adds easements to the list of items that require a surveyor to be used in the preparation and determination of. The original did not contain this provision. Also the substitute added that a registered land surveyor is not required for a construction estimate, that does not involve monumentation of a metes and bounds description. The original did not provide for this. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION H.B. 200 was heard in a Public Hearing on March 1, 1995. Rep. Dear laid out a complete committee substitute, and moved adoption by the full committee. There was no objection. The Chair recognized the following persons to testify in favor of the bill: Mr. Steven E. Hanan, Tx. Soc. of Professional Surveyors Mr. Kevin A. Meals, Tx. Soc. of Professional Land Surveyors-Chapter 9; The Chair recognized the following to testify, registering neutral on the bill: Mr. David A. Vilbig, Tx. Bd. of Professional Land Surveyors; H.B. 200 was referred to the following subcommittee: Rep. Dear, Chair; Rep. Jones; and Rep. Kubiak. H.B. 200 was considered by the Subcommittee in a Formal Meeting on March 9, 1995. Rep. Kubiak moved that the subcommittee adopt C.S.H.B. 200, and that it be reported favorably to the full committee with the recommendation that it do pass. The motion prevailed by the following vote: AYES: 3, NAYS: 0, ABSENT: 0. H.B. 200 was considered in a Public Hearing on March 15, 1995. Rep. Kubiak moved that the full committee take up H.B. 200 on an eligible subcommittee report. There was no objection. Rep. Kubiak moved that the full committee adopt C.S.H.B. 200 and that it be reported favorably to the full House with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. The motion prevailed by the following vote: AYES: 7, NAYS: 0, ABSENT: 2. Rep. Kubiak moved that H.B. 200 as substituted be sent to the Local and Consent Calendar, by the vote which it had been favorably approved. There was no objection.