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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the regulation of land surveyors by the Texas Board of |
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Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 1001.216, Occupations Code, is amended |
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by adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) The advisory committee appointed under Subsection (a) |
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may, on its own initiative or at the request of any interested |
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person, prepare a written report or recommendation to the board on |
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any surveying-related subject regulated by the board. |
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(a-2) The advisory committee appointed under Subsection (a) |
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shall maintain a written public record of each subject discussed |
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and action taken at the committee's meetings. |
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SECTION 2. Section 1001.601(a), Occupations Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) On its own initiative or at the request of any |
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interested person, the board shall prepare a written advisory |
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opinion about: |
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(1) an interpretation of this chapter or Chapter 1071; |
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or |
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(2) the application of this chapter or Chapter 1071 to |
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a person in regard to a specified existing or hypothetical factual |
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situation. |
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SECTION 3. Sections 1071.253(a) and (c), Occupations Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) An applicant for a surveyor-in-training certificate |
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must: |
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(1) have earned a bachelor of science degree in |
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surveying from an accredited institution of higher education; |
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(2) have: |
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(A) earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited |
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institution of higher education that included at least 32 semester |
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hours in a combination of courses acceptable to the board in: |
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(i) land surveying [civil engineering]; |
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(ii) civil engineering [land surveying]; |
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(iii) mathematics; |
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(iv) photogrammetry; |
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(v) forestry; |
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(vi) land law; or |
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(vii) the physical sciences; and |
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(B) completed at least one year of experience |
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acceptable to the board in delegated responsible charge as a |
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subordinate to a registered professional land surveyor actively |
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engaged in professional surveying; |
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(3) have: |
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(A) earned an associate degree in surveying from |
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an accredited institution of higher education; and |
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(B) completed at least two years of experience |
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acceptable to the board in delegated responsible charge as a |
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subordinate to a registered professional land surveyor actively |
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engaged in professional surveying; |
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(4) have: |
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(A) successfully completed a course of |
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instruction consisting of 32 semester hours in land surveying or |
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the equivalent number of semester hours in board-approved courses |
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related to surveying; and |
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(B) completed at least two years of experience |
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acceptable to the board in delegated responsible charge as a |
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subordinate to a registered professional land surveyor actively |
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engaged in professional surveying; or |
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(5) have: |
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(A) graduated from an accredited high school; |
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(B) completed at least four years of experience |
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acceptable to the board in delegated responsible charge as a |
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subordinate to a registered professional land surveyor actively |
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engaged in professional surveying; and |
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(C) provided evidence satisfactory to the board |
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that the applicant is self-educated in professional surveying. |
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(c) On proof that an applicant meets the qualifications |
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prescribed by Subsection (a) and has passed the fundamentals of |
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surveying examination prescribed by the board under Section |
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1071.256, the [The] board shall issue a surveyor-in-training |
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certificate to the [an] applicant [who passes the applicable parts |
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of the examination taken under Subsection (b)]. The certificate is |
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valid for eight years. |
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SECTION 4. Sections 1071.254(a) and (b), Occupations Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) An applicant for registration as a registered |
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professional land surveyor must: |
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(1) hold a certificate as a surveyor-in-training; |
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(2) have passed the principles and practice of |
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surveying examination prescribed by the board under Section |
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1071.256; |
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(3) [(2)] have at least two years of experience |
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satisfactory to the board as a surveyor-in-training in performing |
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surveying in delegated responsible charge as a subordinate to a |
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surveyor registered or licensed to engage in the practice of |
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surveying in this state or in another state having registration or |
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licensing requirements equivalent to the requirements of this |
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state; and |
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(4) [(3)] have earned an associate or bachelor's |
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degree from an accredited institution of higher education that |
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included at least 32 semester hours in a combination of courses |
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acceptable to the board in: |
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(A) land surveying [civil engineering]; |
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(B) civil engineering [land surveying]; |
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(C) mathematics; |
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(D) photogrammetry; |
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(E) forestry; |
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(F) land law; or |
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(G) the physical sciences. |
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(b) An applicant is entitled to registration as a registered |
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professional land surveyor if the applicant meets the |
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qualifications prescribed by Subsection (a) and is approved to take |
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and passes the required sections of the Texas specific surveying |
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examination prescribed under Section 1071.256. |
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SECTION 5. Section 1071.256, Occupations Code, is amended |
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by adding Subsections (a-1) and (b-1) and amending Subsection (b) |
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to read as follows: |
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(a-1) The board by rule shall prescribe the fundamentals of |
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surveying examination required for an applicant for certification |
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as a surveyor-in-training under Section 1071.253. |
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(b) The board by rule shall prescribe the principles and |
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practice of surveying examination required for an applicant for |
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registration as a registered professional land surveyor under |
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Section 1071.254 [must be developed and given as provided by this |
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chapter under board rules designed] to determine the knowledge and |
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ability of the applicant. |
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(b-1) The board by rule shall prescribe the Texas specific |
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surveying examination required for an applicant for registration as |
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a registered professional land surveyor under Section 1071.254. |
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SECTION 6. Section 1071.253(b), Occupations Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 7. Not later than December 1, 2025, the Texas Board |
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of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors shall adopt the rules |
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necessary to implement the changes in law made by this Act. |
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SECTION 8. Sections 1071.253 and 1071.254, Occupations |
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Code, as amended by this Act, apply only to an application for, |
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respectively, a surveyor-in-training certificate or registration |
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as a registered professional land surveyor filed with the Texas |
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Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. An application filed before the |
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effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the |
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date the application was filed, and the former law is continued in |
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effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |