| 1 | 1 | | 84R3762 NC-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Paul H.B. No. 3469 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the certification of structural engineers; providing |
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| 8 | 8 | | for a fee. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 1001, Occupations Code, is amended by |
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| 11 | 11 | | adding Subchapter H-1 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SUBCHAPTER H-1. CERTIFICATION OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 1001.371. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (1) "Significant structure" means a building or |
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| 15 | 15 | | structure assigned to Occupancy Category III or IV under Table |
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| 16 | 16 | | 1604.5 of the 2009 edition of the International Building Code. |
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| 17 | 17 | | (2) "Structural engineer" means a person licensed to |
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| 18 | 18 | | engage in the practice of engineering and certified to practice |
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| 19 | 19 | | structural engineering in this state. |
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| 20 | 20 | | (3) "Structural engineering" means a specialized |
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| 21 | 21 | | branch of professional engineering involving the practice of |
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| 22 | 22 | | structural engineering of significant structures. |
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| 23 | 23 | | Sec. 1001.372. CERTIFICATE REQUIRED. (a) A person may not |
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| 24 | 24 | | engage in the practice of structural engineering unless the person |
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| 25 | 25 | | holds a structural engineer certificate issued under this |
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| 26 | 26 | | subchapter. |
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| 27 | 27 | | (b) A person may not, unless the person holds a structural |
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| 28 | 28 | | engineer certificate issued under this subchapter, directly or |
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| 29 | 29 | | indirectly use or cause to be used as a professional, business, or |
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| 30 | 30 | | commercial identification, title, name, representation, claim, |
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| 31 | 31 | | asset, or means of advantage or benefit any of, or a variation or |
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| 32 | 32 | | abbreviation of, the following terms: |
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| 33 | 33 | | (1) "structural engineer"; |
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| 34 | 34 | | (2) "professional structural engineer"; |
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| 35 | 35 | | (3) "licensed structural engineer"; or |
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| 36 | 36 | | (4) "certified structural engineer." |
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| 37 | 37 | | Sec. 1001.373. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS. To qualify for |
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| 38 | 38 | | a structural engineer certificate, an applicant must: |
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| 39 | 39 | | (1) be licensed under this chapter as an engineer; and |
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| 40 | 40 | | (2) pass the structural engineering examination |
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| 41 | 41 | | prescribed by the board. |
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| 42 | 42 | | Sec. 1001.374. APPLICATION. The board by rule shall: |
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| 43 | 43 | | (1) prescribe an application form for the issuance or |
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| 44 | 44 | | renewal of a structural engineer certificate; and |
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| 45 | 45 | | (2) determine the information to be included in the |
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| 46 | 46 | | application. |
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| 47 | 47 | | Sec. 1001.375. EXAMINATION. The board shall administer a |
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| 48 | 48 | | 16-hour examination to determine the qualifications of an applicant |
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| 49 | 49 | | for a structural engineer certificate. |
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| 50 | 50 | | Sec. 1001.376. CERTIFICATE. The board shall issue a |
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| 51 | 51 | | structural engineer certificate to an applicant who meets the |
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| 52 | 52 | | qualifications prescribed by the board by rule and pays the |
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| 53 | 53 | | required fees. |
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| 54 | 54 | | Sec. 1001.377. SEAL. (a) On receiving a structural |
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| 55 | 55 | | engineer certificate, a certificate holder shall obtain a seal in a |
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| 56 | 56 | | design authorized by the board, showing the certificate holder's |
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| 57 | 57 | | name and the legend "Structural Engineer." |
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| 58 | 58 | | (b) The seal may be used in lieu of a seal obtained under |
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| 59 | 59 | | Section 1001.401. |
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| 60 | 60 | | Sec. 1001.378. RENEWAL. (a) A certificate issued under |
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| 61 | 61 | | this subchapter is valid for one year from the date of issuance. |
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| 62 | 62 | | (b) The holder of a certificate may renew the certificate by |
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| 63 | 63 | | paying a renewal fee and complying with other renewal requirements |
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| 64 | 64 | | prescribed by board rule before the expiration date. |
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| 65 | 65 | | Sec. 1001.379. FEES. The board shall establish and collect |
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| 66 | 66 | | reasonable and necessary fees in amounts sufficient to cover the |
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| 67 | 67 | | costs of administering this subchapter. |
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| 68 | 68 | | SECTION 2. (a) Not later than May 1, 2016, the Texas Board |
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| 69 | 69 | | of Professional Engineers shall: |
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| 70 | 70 | | (1) establish the qualifications for issuance and |
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| 71 | 71 | | renewal of a structural engineer certificate; and |
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| 72 | 72 | | (2) adopt the rules necessary to implement the changes |
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| 73 | 73 | | in law made by this Act. |
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| 74 | 74 | | (b) A person is not required to obtain a structural engineer |
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| 75 | 75 | | certificate under Subchapter H-1, Chapter 1001, Occupations Code, |
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| 76 | 76 | | as added by this Act, before September 1, 2016. |
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| 77 | 77 | | SECTION 3. A person practicing as a licensed engineer in |
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| 78 | 78 | | structural engineering on the effective date of this Act is |
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| 79 | 79 | | entitled to issuance of a structural engineer certificate and to |
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| 80 | 80 | | continue to practice structural engineering without fulfilling any |
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| 81 | 81 | | additional education, training, or examination requirements |
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| 82 | 82 | | established by the Texas Board of Professional Engineers under |
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| 83 | 83 | | Subchapter H-1, Chapter 1001, Occupations Code, as added by this |
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| 84 | 84 | | Act, if the person has the other qualifications required by the |
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| 85 | 85 | | board and Chapter 1001 and if, before August 31, 2016, the person |
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| 86 | 86 | | submits an application on a form prescribed by the board and an |
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| 87 | 87 | | affidavit attesting to the person's experience as a structural |
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| 88 | 88 | | engineer. |
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| 89 | 89 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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