H*4771(Rat #0474, Act #0366 of 2002)  General Bill, By Keegan, Knotts, Hosey, 
Whipper, Clyburn, Frye, Gourdine, J. Hines, Kelley, Leach, Littlejohn and 
Whatley

Similar(S 1039)
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 40-3-20, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
 RELATING TO DEFINITIONS USED CONCERNING THE LICENSURE AND REGULATION OF
 ARCHITECTS, SO AS TO ADD THE DEFINITIONS OF "EMERITUS ARCHITECT" AND "RETIRED
 FROM ACTIVE PRACTICE"; TO AMEND SECTION 40-3-230, RELATING TO QUALIFICATIONS
 FOR LICENSURE AS AN ARCHITECT, SO AS TO INCLUDE THE CANADIAN ARCHITECTURAL
 CERTIFICATION BOARD AS AN ACCREDITING BODY OF SCHOOLS OR PROGRAMS FOR
 ARCHITECTS; TO AMEND SECTION 40-3-250, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO LICENSE RENEWAL
 REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO EXEMPT EMERITUS ARCHITECTS FROM CONTINUING EDUCATION
 REQUIREMENTS UNLESS RETURNING TO ACTIVE PRACTICE AND TO PROVIDE CONTINUING
 EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR EMERITUS ARCHITECTS WHO WISH TO RETURN TO ACTIVE
 PRACTICE; TO ADD SECTION 40-3-255 SO AS TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD OF
 ARCHITECTURAL EXAMINERS TO ESTABLISH THE SOUTH CAROLINA ARCHITECTURE EDUCATION
 AND RESEARCH FUND, TO ALLOCATE REVENUE FROM RENEWAL FEES TO THE FUND, TO
 PROVIDE FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE FUND AND PROVIDE FOR CERTAIN REPORTS TO THE
 CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE LABOR, COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY COMMITTEES ON
 HOW FUNDS WERE EXPENDED THE PRECEDING FISCAL YEAR.-amended title

   02/20/02  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-5
   02/20/02  House  Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and
                     Industry HJ-6
   04/17/02  House  Committee report: Favorable Labor, Commerce and
                     Industry HJ-9
   04/18/02  House  Read second time HJ-22
   04/18/02  House  Unanimous consent for third reading on next
                     legislative day HJ-24
   04/19/02  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-3
   04/23/02  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-6
   04/23/02  Senate Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and
                     Industry SJ-6
   05/16/02  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment Labor,
                     Commerce and Industry SJ-27
   05/21/02  Senate Amended SJ-35
   05/23/02  Senate Amended SJ-61
   05/23/02  Senate Read second time SJ-61
   05/23/02  Senate Ordered to third reading with notice of
                     amendments SJ-61
   05/29/02  Senate Read third time and returned to House with
                     amendments SJ-53
   06/05/02  House  Senate amendment amended HJ-82
   06/05/02  House  Returned to Senate with amendments HJ-83
   06/05/02  Senate Concurred in House amendment and enrolled SJ-23
   06/06/02         Ratified R 474
   09/26/02         Signed By Governor
   10/01/02         Effective date 9/26/02
   10/01/02         Copies available
   10/07/02         Act No. 366

(A366, R474, H4771)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 40-3-20, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO DEFINITIONS USED CONCERNING THE LICENSURE AND REGULATION OF ARCHITECTS, SO AS TO ADD THE DEFINITIONS OF "EMERITUS ARCHITECT" AND "RETIRED FROM ACTIVE PRACTICE"; TO AMEND SECTION 40-3-230, RELATING TO QUALIFICATIONS FOR LICENSURE AS AN ARCHITECT, SO AS TO INCLUDE THE CANADIAN ARCHITECTURAL CERTIFICATION BOARD AS AN ACCREDITING BODY OF SCHOOLS OR PROGRAMS FOR ARCHITECTS; TO AMEND SECTION 40-3-250, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO LICENSE RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO EXEMPT EMERITUS ARCHITECTS FROM CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS UNLESS RETURNING TO ACTIVE PRACTICE AND TO PROVIDE CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR EMERITUS ARCHITECTS WHO WISH TO RETURN TO ACTIVE PRACTICE; TO ADD SECTION 40-3-255 SO AS TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD OF ARCHITECTURAL EXAMINERS TO ESTABLISH THE SOUTH CAROLINA ARCHITECTURE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH FUND, TO ALLOCATE REVENUE FROM RENEWAL FEES TO THE FUND, TO PROVIDE FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE FUND AND PROVIDE FOR CERTAIN REPORTS TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE LABOR, COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY COMMITTEES ON HOW FUNDS WERE EXPENDED THE PRECEDING FISCAL YEAR.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

"Emeritus architect" and "retired from active practice" defined

SECTION 1. Section 40-3-20 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding at the end:

"(9) 'Emeritus architect' means an architect who has been registered for ten consecutive years or longer and who is sixty-five years of age or older and who has retired from active practice.

(10) 'Retired from active practice' means not engaging or offering to engage in the practice of architecture as defined in this section."

Canadian Architectural Certification Board accreditation

SECTION 2. Section 40-3-230(C)(1) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(1) have a professional degree in architecture from a school or college program accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) or the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB). The school or program must be accredited by NAAB or CACB not later than two years after the applicant's graduation. Foreign-educated applicants who do not hold an accredited degree from either accrediting body may have their educational credentials evaluated by an organization approved by the board to determine if their foreign degree is equivalent to the required professional degree in architecture. Additionally, foreign-educated applicants must satisfy National Council of Architectural Registration Boards' general educational requirements;"

Emeritus architect continuing education requirements

SECTION 3. Section 40-3-250 of the 1976 Code, as amended by Act 296 of 2000, is further amended to read:

"Section 40-3-250. (A) An individual and firm licensed under this chapter shall satisfy license renewal requirements as established by the board in regulation, which shall include continuing education requirements for individuals. The requirements, consisting of twelve continuing education hours annually, shall include at least eight continuing education hours in topics related to safeguarding health, safety, and welfare and four continuing education hours in practice-related topics. Emeritus architects are not required to meet continuing education requirements. Individuals and firms annually shall pay the required renewal fee on a date set by the board in order to continue practicing architecture in South Carolina.

(B) Both individual and firm certificates may be renewed at any time within one year from the date of expiration upon payment of the established fee and a penalty of fifty dollars during the first thirty days and an additional one hundred dollars thereafter during the year.

(C) If an individual or firm fails to renew within one year from the date of expiration, the certificate may be reissued upon submission of a new application accompanied by the application fee and approval by the board.

(D) Emeritus architects who wish to return to active practice shall complete continuing education requirements for each exempted year not to exceed two years. Applicable fees also must be paid."

South Carolina Architecture Education and Research Fund

SECTION 4. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 40-3-255. (A) The department, at the board's request, may allocate up to ten dollars of each renewal fee to the South Carolina Architecture Education and Research Fund, which must be established as a separate and distinct account and used exclusively for:

(1) advancement of education and research for the benefit of individuals and firms licensed under this chapter and for architectural interns;

(2) analysis and evaluation of factors which affect the architecture profession in this State; and

(3) dissemination of the results of the research.

(B) The board shall submit to the Chairmen of the House and Senate Labor, Commerce and Industry Committees by August first of each year a report on how the funds were expended for the preceding fiscal year."

Time effective

SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 6th day of June, 2002.

Approved the 26th day of September, 2002.