AB 173 — Revises provisions relating to professional engineers and land surveyors. (BDR 54-798)

A.B.Assembly Bill No.

173173–Assemblywoman AJauregui SSEMBLYCHAPTER.......... B ILLN O .

173–ASSEMBLYWOMAN JAUREGUI F EBRUARY 24, 2021 ____________ Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor SUMMARY—Revises provisions relating to professional engineers and land surveyors.

(BDR 54-798) FISCAL NOTE:

Effect on Local Government:

No.

Effect on the State:

Yes.

~ EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new;

matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

Existing law creates the State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors to license and regulate professional engineers and land surveyors.

(NRS 625.095) Existing law creates the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada and requires the Commission to supervise and regulate the operation and maintenance of public utilities and other entities this bill removes the exemption from licensure as a professional engineer for anof employee of a public utility company that supplies natural gas and is subject to the jurisdiction of the CommissionCommission. if the employee is engaged in a type of work for the public utility which the Commission has determined requires licensure in regulations adopted pursuant to section 3 of this bill.

Existing(NRS law703.020, requires703.150) anSection applicant1 forof this bill removes the exemption from licensure as a professional landengineer surveyorfor waiveran employee of a public utility company that requirement;supplies natural gas and is subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission if the employee is engaged in a type of work for the public utility which the Commission has determined requires licensure in regulations adopted pursuant to section 3 of this bill.

andExisting (2)law passrequires an examinationapplicant onfor thelicensure principlesas andaa practicesprofessional of land surveying.surveyor to:

(1) pass an examination on the fundamentals of land surveying or receive a practices of land surveying.

(NRS 625.270) Section 2 of this bill - *AB173* – 2 – eliminates the requirement that an applicant complete the required years of active experience in land surveying for eligibility to take the examination on the principles complete the prescribed years of active experience for licensure, the applicant isd to eligible to take the examination on the principles and practices of land surveyingsurveying. once the applicant meets the educational requirements.

Therefore, although an applicant is still required to complete the prescribed years of active experience for licensure, the applicant is eligible to take the examination on the principles and practices of land surveying once the applicant meets the educational requirements.

EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new;

matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

- 81st Session (2021) – 2 – (a) Any subordinate of a professional engineer of this State if he or she acts as a subordinate.

(b) Officers and employees of the United States Government who have qualified pursuant to federal regulations and have been authorized to do engineering for the Federal Government, but no such governmental officer or employee may engage in the private practice of engineering in Nevada unless licensed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

(b) Any architect registered pursuant to the provisions of chapter 623 of NRS and who practices architecture as permitted by chapter 623 of NRS;

A person who is 21 years of age or older may apply to the Board, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and any regulations adopted by the Board, for licensure as a professional land surveyor.

by the Board, for licensure as a 2.

[and] - *AB173* – 3 – (b) Pass the examination on the [:

and (d) Have a record of 4 or more years of active experience in land surveying that is satisfactory to the Board and indicates that - 81st Session (2021) – 3 – the applicant is competent to be placed in responsible charge of land-surveying work.

An applicant for licensure as a professional land surveyor may not take the examination on the principles and practices of land surveying [,] required by paragraph (b) of subsection 1 of NRS 625.280 unless the applicant is a graduate of a land-surveying curriculum of 4 years or more that is approved by the Board .

The Commission shall adopt regulations that prescribe the types of work for which a license as a professional engineer issued pursuant to chapter 625 of NRS is required for employees of a public utility that supplies natural gas and is subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission.

An employee of a public utility that supplies natural gas and is subject to the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities - *AB173* – 4 – Commission of Nevada who is engaged in a type of work before July 1, 2021, for which a license as a professional engineer issued pursuant to chapter 625 of NRS is required pursuant to the provisions of sections 1 and 3 of this act on July 1, 2021, may continue to engage in that type of work without a license until July 1, 2022.

- 81st Session (2021) – 4 – (a) Upon passage and approval for the purpose of adopting any regulations and performing any other preparatory administrative tas(b)tasks Onthat Julyare 1,necessary 2021,to forcarry allout otherthe purposes.sionsprovisions of this act;

and H(b) -On *AB173*July 1, 2021, for all other purposes.

~~~~~ 21 - 81st Session (2021)