BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.S.B. 681

By: Hughes

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, professional engineers and land surveyors in Texas are required to renew their licenses annually. In contrast, data from the American Institute of Steel Construction indicates that over 40 states require professional engineers to renew their licenses at intervals of two years or longer, and the bill sponsor has informed the committee that a majority of other states maintain a similar biennial renewal period for land surveyors. C.S.S.B. 681 seeks to align Texas with the license renewal standards adopted by the majority of other states for these professions by extending the renewal period to at least two years.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors in SECTION 3 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

C.S.S.B. 681 amends the Occupations Code to require the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors to adopt rules providing for the renewal of a license or registration issued under The Texas Engineering Practice Act. The bill removes the requirement for the board to provide for the annual renewal of such a license or registration and instead requires the adopted rules to provide that such a license or registration is valid for a term of not less than two years. The bill makes a conforming change in a provision regarding the registration of a business entity engaged in the practice of engineering.

C.S.S.B. 681 also changes from one year or two years to not less than two years the term for which a certificate of registration or license under the Professional Land Surveying Practices Act is valid, as provided by board rule.

C.S.S.B. 681 requires the board to adopt rules to implement the bill's provisions as soon as practicable after the bill's effective date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.

COMPARISON OF SENATE ENGROSSED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.S.B. 681 may differ from the engrossed in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the engrossed and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute includes a provision absent from the engrossed changing the term for which each certificate of registration or license under the Professional Land Surveying Practices Act is valid. Accordingly, the substitute includes that provision among the bill provisions for which the board is required to adopt rules for implementation as soon as practicable after the bill's effective date.