BILL ANALYSIS



C.S.H.B. 201
By: Madden
3-15-95
Committee Report (Substituted)


BACKGROUND

In Texas, surveyors are licensed by the Texas Board of Professional
Land Surveyors.  To be eligible for licensure, applicants must hold
a valid certificate as a surveyor-in-training and have at least two
years of experience as a surveyor-in-training working under a
licensed surveyor.  The educational requirements for a surveyor-in-training applicant can vary widely.  From a requirement of a
bachelor of science degree in surveying, with no experience, to
requiring a high school diploma and four years experience. 
Advances in technology and the ever increasing demands for accuracy
are requiring the highest level of competence on the part of the
surveying professional.

PURPOSE

C.S.H.B. 201 would require that an applicant for registration as a
professional land surveyor on or before September 1, 1997, meet
certain educational requirements.  

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 15, Professional Land Surveying
Practices Act (Article 5282c, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) by
amending Subsections (c) and (e) and adding Subsection (d).

     (c) adds that on or before September 1, 1997,  an applicant
who applies for registration as a registered professional land
surveyor, must:

     (d) in addition to compliance with applicable requirements of
Subsection (c), an applicant who applies for registration as a
professional land surveyor after September 1, 1997, must have met
the educational requirements.  

(e) strikes "bachelor of science", and strikes "in another course
of study".  Requirements include a bachelor's degree or an
associate degree from an accredited institution of higher education
and including at least 32 semester hours of study in any
combination of courses acceptable to the board, in civil
engineering, land surveying, mathematics, photogrammetry, forestry,
land law, or the physical sciences.  Also adds that a person
holding an associate degree must have at least four years and
strikes two years of experience acceptable to the board in the
practice of land surveying. Also raises from two to six years the
amount of experience needed for those who have completed 32
semester hours in the required curriculum.  And for those with a
high school diploma only, raises the requirement from four to ten
years of acceptable experience.  

SECTION 2:  Effective date. September 1, 1995.

SECTION 3:  Emergency clause.





COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

The original bill provided that an applicant on or before January
1, 2003, must hold an earned bachelor's degree with at least 32
hours in specific study related to the practice of surveying.  The
substitute provides that an applicant on or before September 1,
1997 must meet educational requirements.  The substitute also
provides that a person must have an earned associate's degree, and
four years of acceptable experience.  Also raises the requirements
of acceptable experience for those who have completed 32 hours of
required instruction from two years to six, and for those with only
a high school diploma, experience rates are raised from four years
to ten years.  The original did not provide for this.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

H.B. 201 was heard in a Public Hearing on March 1, 1995.  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, Texas Society of Professional Surveyors-Chapter 9;
The Chair recognized the following person to testify, registering
neutral on the bill:
     Mr. David A. Vilbig, Tx. Bd. of Professional Land Surveyors;
H.B. 201 was referred to the following subcommittee:  Rep. Dear,
Chair; Rep. Jones; and Rep. Kubiak.  H.B. 201 was considered by the
Subcommittee in a Formal Meeting on March 9, 1995.  Rep. Dear laid
out a complete committee substitute and moved that the subcommittee
adopt C.S.H.B. 201.  There was no objection.  Rep. Kubiak moved
that the subcommittee adopt C.S.H.B. 201, 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. 201 was considered in a Public Hearing
on March 15, 1995.  Rep. Kubiak moved that the full committee take
up H.B. 201 on an eligible subcommittee report.  There was no
objection.  Rep. Kubiak moved that the full committee adopt
C.S.H.B. 201, 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. 201 as substituted be sent to the Local
and Consent Calendar, by the vote which it had been favorably
approved.  There was no objection.