AB 288

Generally, under current law, no person may practice professional engineering

in this state or convey the impression that the person is a professional engineer

unless the person is registered with the Examining Board of Architects, Landscape

Architects, Professional Engineers, Designers, and Land Surveyors (examining

board). Currently, an applicant for registration as a professional engineer must

submit satisfactory evidence of one of the following: 1) graduation from an

engineering course of not less than four years plus a record of four or more years of

experience indicating the applicant is competent to be placed in charge of

engineering work, 2) a record of eight or more years of experience indicating the

applicant is competent to be placed in charge of engineering work, 3) a record of 12

or more years of experience indicating the applicant is competent to practice

engineering, or 4) graduation from an engineering course of not less than four years

and eight years of experience indicating the applicant is competent to practice

engineering. Current law provides that graduation from an engineering course at

a school approved by the examining board is equivalent to four years of experience,

that each year of engineering study completed at such a school is equivalent to one

year of experience, and that graduation from an engineering course at a school not

approved by the examining board is equivalent to two years of experience.

Under this bill, an applicant for registration as a professional engineer must

submit satisfactory evidence of either of the following: 1) graduation from an

approved engineering course of not less than four years and a record of four or more

years of experience indicating the applicant is competent to be placed in charge of

engineering work, or 2) graduation from an approved engineering course of not less

than two years and a record of six or more years of experience indicating the

applicant is competent to be placed in charge of engineering work.

Currently, an applicant may not be registered as a professional engineer unless

the applicant passes an examination that includes questions on the design needs of

people with physical disabilities and the relevant statutes and codes, except that an

applicant who applies on the basis of graduation from an engineering course of not

less than four years and eight years of experience is not required to pass an

examination. Under the bill, all applicants are required to pass an examination, but

the examination is not required to include questions on the design needs of people

with disabilities or the relevant statutes or codes.

Current law requires the examining board to make an applicant's examination

papers available to the applicant for review for one year after the examination. Also

under current law, an applicant may request a review of the applicant's examination,

and the examining board must provide the reasons for a failing grade. The bill

deletes the retention and review requirements.