1-1 By: Barrientos, Moncrief S.B. No. 1353 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 11, 1999; March 15, 1999, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs; May 5, 1999, 1-4 reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the 1-5 following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 1; May 5, 1999, sent to printer.) 1-6 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1353 By: Bernsen 1-7 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-8 AN ACT 1-9 relating to the regulation of the practice of software engineering. 1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-11 SECTION 1. The Texas Engineering Practice Act (Article 1-12 3271a, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) is amended by adding Section 1-13 12.2 to read as follows: 1-14 Sec. 12.2. REGULATION OF SOFTWARE ENGINEERING. (a) The 1-15 board shall form an advisory committee consisting of persons 1-16 knowledgeable in software engineering, computer science, consulting 1-17 engineering, and others. The committee shall: 1-18 (1) review the rationale for licensing software 1-19 engineers; 1-20 (2) develop a definition of software engineering that 1-21 ensures the protection of public health and safety; 1-22 (3) consider the status and availability of a 1-23 licensing examination for software engineers and the merits of 1-24 licensing software engineers without an examination; and 1-25 (4) consider other issues relevant to the licensing of 1-26 software engineers. 1-27 (b) Until implementation of the recommendations of the 1-28 advisory committee, the board may not issue a license for software 1-29 engineering as a separate discipline within the practice of 1-30 engineering. 1-31 (c) A person who has completed a program certifying that 1-32 person as having expertise with regard to the software of a 1-33 particular software manufacturer may hold that certification forth 1-34 to the public, provided that any use of the term engineer is 1-35 accompanied by a disclaimer of equal or greater emphasis that 1-36 establishes that a person is not licensed by the Texas Board of 1-37 Professional Engineers. 1-38 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 1-39 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-40 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-41 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-42 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-43 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 1-44 * * * * *