By: Wentworth S.B. No. 697
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the regulation of the practice of professional
1-3 engineering.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 8, The Texas Engineering Practice Act
1-6 (Article 3271a, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended by
1-7 amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (e) to read as
1-8 follows:
1-9 (c) The Board by rule may require [recognize, prepare, or
1-10 administer] continuing education [programs] for persons regulated
1-11 by the Board under this Act. Rules adopted under this subsection:
1-12 (1) may not require a license holder to obtain more
1-13 than eight hours of continuing education in one year;
1-14 (2) shall permit a license holder to certify at the
1-15 time the license is renewed that the license holder has complied
1-16 with the Board's continuing education requirements; and
1-17 (3) shall permit a license holder to receive
1-18 continuing education credit for educational, technical, ethical, or
1-19 professional management activities related to the practice of
1-20 engineering, including:
1-21 (A) successfully completing or auditing a course
1-22 sponsored by a college or university;
1-23 (B) successfully completing a course certified
1-24 by a professional or trade organization;
1-25 (C) attending a seminar, tutorial, short course,
2-1 correspondence course, videotaped course, or televised course;
2-2 (D) participating in an in-house course
2-3 sponsored by a corporation or other entity;
2-4 (E) teaching a course described by Paragraphs
2-5 (A)-(D) of this subdivision;
2-6 (F) writing a published article, paper, or book;
2-7 (G) making or attending a presentation at a
2-8 meeting of a technical or engineering management society or
2-9 organization or writing a paper presented at such a meeting;
2-10 (H) participating in the activities of a
2-11 professional society or association, including serving on a
2-12 committee of the organization; and
2-13 (I) engaging in self-directed study.
2-14 [Participation in the programs is voluntary.]
2-15 (e) At the request of any person, the Board may review a
2-16 proposal for the procurement of services issued by a governmental
2-17 entity and issue a finding regarding whether the services are
2-18 within the scope of the practice of professional engineering for
2-19 purposes of Subchapter A, Chapter 2254, Government Code.
2-20 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.