BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                      S.B. 1340

80R6390 JMM-F                                                                                                                 By: Estes

                                                                                                                        Business & Commerce

                                                                                                                                            3/26/2007

                                                                                                                                              As Filed

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

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 for only six years.  However, many surveyors-in-training are not able to complete their bachelor's degree within this six-year window.

 

As proposed, S.B. 1340 removes the six-year limitation and provides that the surveyor-in-training certificate is valid until the date the certificate holder becomes registered as a professional land surveyor.  This bill 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.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying in SECTION 2 (Section 1071.305, Occupations Code) of this bill.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 1071.253(c), Occupations Code, to delete existing text providing that the surveyor-in-training certificate is valid until the sixth anniversary of the date of issuance.

 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 1071.305, Occupations Code, by adding Subsection (d), as follows:

 

(d) Requires the Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying (board), as a condition for retaining a surveyor-in-training certificate, to require the certificate holder 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.  Provides that the records are subject to audit by the board as a condition for retaining the certificate.

 

SECTION 3.  Makes the changes in law made by the amendment of Sections 1071.253 and 1071.305, Occupations Code, of this Act, prospective.

 

SECTION 4.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.