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TO AMEND SECTION 40-22-222 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO THE LICENSING OF EXISTING ENGINEERS, TO EXTEND THE DATE BY WHICH CERTAIN ENGINEERS AND GRADUATES OF CERTAIN ENGINEERING PROGRAMS MAY BE LICENSED AS PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS; AND TO CREATE A STUDY COMMITTEE TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING THE ALIGNMENT OF OUR STATE'S PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS WITH THOSE OF OTHER STATES.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. Section 40-22-222 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 40-22-222. (A) Through June 30, 2020 2025, individuals who have graduated in an ETAC/ABET or TAC/ABET engineering technology curriculum of four or more years and who have a specific record after graduation of eight or more years of experience in engineering work of a character satisfactory to the board, who are of good character and reputation, who can communicate effectively in the English language may take the NCEES Principles of Practice and the Fundamentals of Engineering examinations and become an associate engineer licensed for Category B practice. An associate engineer licensed for Category B practice as of July 1, 2006, may continue to practice under the conditions provided for in Regulation 49-202(B) or an identical successor regulation. As of July 1, 2020 2025, Category B licensure ceases to exist.
(B) Through June 30, 2020 2025, individuals who have graduated in a bachelor's ETAC/ABET or TAC/ABET accredited curriculum and who have successfully passed the NCEES Principles of Practice and Fundamentals of Engineering examinations, and who have completed eight or more years of qualifying experience as an engineer and who are otherwise qualified for licensure, may present their credentials for evaluation by a committee of Professional Engineers licensed in this State composed of no less than three practicing engineers, a member or former member of the board, and a professor of engineering. Applicants for licensure under this subsection must demonstrate sufficient rigor in their scope or depth of qualifying experience, such that the committee can determine that they can meet established standards of engineering practice. Only applicants who are approved under the review process may be licensed as professional engineers. Absent a showing of a change or qualifications to correct deficiencies identified in the review process, no application may be reviewed by the committee more than twice.
(C) For the purposes of this section 'associate professional engineer' means a Category B license holder who is qualified to practice within the profession of engineering in the manner defined in this chapter, and as attested by his recognition and registration as an associate professional engineer in this State."
SECTION 2. There is created the Professional Engineer Licensing Requirements Study Committee. The study committee shall be comprised of three members of the Senate appointed by the Senate Chairman of the Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee and three members of the House of Representatives appointed by the House of Representatives Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee. The study committee shall review the licensing requirements for professional engineers in this State, compare those requirements with the requirements in other states located in the Southeast and nationwide, and recommend to the General Assembly whether aligning this State's requirements with requirements in other states is in this State's best interests. The study committee shall make its recommendation on or before January 7, 2020.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
This web page was last updated on March 14, 2019 at 12:54 PM