S 1039 General Bill, By Rankin

Similar(H 4771)
 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 DEFINITION OF "EMERITUS ARCHITECT"; 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,
 RELATING TO LICENSE RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO EXEMPT EMERITUS ARCHITECTS
 FROM CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS UNLESS RETURNING 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, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE
 PURPOSES OF THE FUND; AND TO AMEND SECTION 40-3-290, RELATING TO THOSE PERSONS
 AND ACTIVITIES EXEMPT FROM LICENSURE AND REGULATION AS AN ARCHITECT, SO AS TO
 REVISE A BUILDING CODE REFERENCE.

   02/20/02  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-6
   02/20/02  Senate Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and
                     Industry SJ-6

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 DEFINITION OF "EMERITUS ARCHITECT"; 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, RELATING TO LICENSE RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS, SO AS TO EXEMPT EMERITUS ARCHITECTS FROM CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS UNLESS RETURNING 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, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE FUND; AND TO AMEND SECTION 40-3-290, RELATING TO THOSE PERSONS AND ACTIVITIES EXEMPT FROM LICENSURE AND REGULATION AS AN ARCHITECT, SO AS TO REVISE A BUILDING CODE REFERENCE.

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

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."

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 NAAB accredited degree from either accrediting body may have their educational credentials evaluated through Education Evaluation Services for Architects (EESA) by an organization approved by the board to determine if their foreign degree is equivalent to an NAAB the required professional degree in architecture. Additionally, foreign-educated applicants must satisfy National Council of Architectural Registration Boards' general educational 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."

SECTION 4. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 40-3-255. 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."

SECTION 5. Section 40-3-290(C)(2) and (3) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(2) a building less than three stories high and containing fewer than five thousand square feet of total floor area except buildings of assembly, institutional, educational, and hazardous occupancies as defined by the Standard International Building Code, regardless of area;

(3) a detached single-family or two-family dwelling, as defined in Group R3 of the Standard International Building Code, regardless of size, with each unit having a grade level exit and sheds, storage buildings, and garages incidental to the dwelling;"

SECTION 6. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.