BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                            S.B. 1340

                                                                                                                                             By: Estes

                                                                                             Licensing & Administrative Procedures

                                                                                                       Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

To become licensed as a registered professional land surveyor in Texas, the applicant for registration must have a survey-in-training certificate, two years experience, and a bachelor's degree.  Under current law, the surveyor-in-training certificate is valid until the earlier of six years of the date of issuance or the date the certificate holder becomes registered as a registered professional land surveyor.  However, many surveyors-in-training are not able to complete their bachelor's degree within the six-year window.

 

S.B. 1340 provides that the surveyor-in-training certificate is valid for eight years.  S.B. 1340 also requires, as a condition for the retention of a surveyor-in-training certificate, the Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying to require a surveyor-in-training to successfully complete continuing education courses as prescribed by board rule; maintain their professional education activities records and subject the records to an audit by the board.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying in SECTION 2 of this bill.

 

ANALYSIS

 

S.B. 1340 provides that the surveyor-in-training certificate is valid for eight years.  Additionally, S.B. 1340 provides that as a condition for retaining a surveyor-in-training certificate, the Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying shall require a surveyor-in-training to successfully complete continuing professional education courses as prescribed by board rule. Requires the certificate holder to maintain records relating to the person's professional education activities and subjects the records to an audit by the board as a condition for retaining the certificate.

 

S.B. 1340 applies to a person who holds a surveyor-in-training certificate on the effective date of this Act or is issued a certificate on or after that date.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

Immediately, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2007.