ok-2205: State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Surveyors — Licensure and Practice of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors

Summary

Subchapter 1. General Provisions: The proposed amendments will align existing definitions with statute revisions signed into law by Governor Stitt in 2024; modernize definitions to include updated methods using technological advances, and general clean-up language. Subchapter 3. Application and Eligibility for Licensing: The proposed amendments will: allow for a more expedited process with fewer obstacles for examinations, licensure and simplify the process for new licensees obtaining their original license in Oklahoma, and allow applicants who have a PhD in engineering to waive the Fundamentals of Engineering Examination as a step towards licensure, which is allowed in some neighboring states. Oklahoma State University requested the Board to consider this amendment to allow them to have a better opportunity to compete with other states to hire and tenure well-qualified applicants for their engineering departments, and allow surveyor applicants to waive the requirement to have 2 years of qualifying experience following their degree in certain circumstances to remove a barrier to licensure for qualified applicants, and define a qualifying “board-approved” education program as a ETAC/ABET or ANSAC/ABET accredited program by July 1, 2032. This timeframe will allow ample time for existing programs to obtain accreditation or new programs to be developed to ensure Oklahoma has quality education programs available in Oklahoma, and provide a clear pathway to allow the licensing of international engineers through Mutual Recognition Agreements, such as the U.K. MRA which the Board signed at the urging of the Governor’s office in August 2024, and remove the word “land” from all references to surveying, as approved by legislation in 2024. Subchapter 5. Examinations: The proposed amendments will remove the word “land” from all references to surveying, as approved by legislation in 2024, remove duplicate language, and allow for updates made to the national licensing examinations. Subchapter 7. Licensure: The proposed amendments will update expired language, allow for individuals with expired licenses to reinstate their licenses up to 2 years following expiration instead of after 6 months. This will expedite the relicensing process for individuals with expired licenses while still protecting the health, safety and welfare of the public. Subchapter 9. Rules of Professional Conduct: The proposed amendments are to reorganize the existing language in a more organized, modern manner; include a definition for “responsible charge” which will allow surveyors to utilize electronic means of communication without requiring in person supervision. Subchapter 11. Continuing Education: The proposed amendments are to remove the word “land” from all references to surveying, as approved by legislation in 2024, update and modernize language, shorten the timeframe to provide additional continuing education because so much is readily available online. Subchapter 13. Minimum Standards for Land Surveying: The proposed amendments were developed in conjunction with the Oklahoma Society of Land Surveyors and further clarify and update minimum standard requirements. Subchapter 15. Ethical Marketing of Services: The proposed amendments remove the word “land” from all references to surveying, as approved by legislation in 2024. Subchapter 17. Licensee’s Seal: The proposed amendments were developed to remove the word “land” from all references to surveying, as approved by legislation in 2024, move the “responsible charge” provisions to Subchapter 9. Rules of Professional Conduct and modernize the language. Subchapter 19. Organizational Practice: The proposed amendments were developed to modernize the language, remove the word “land” from all references to surveying, as approved by legislation in 2024, and provide for the same reinstatement provisions proposed in Subchapter 7 for individuals. Subchapter 21. Corner Perpetuation and Filing Act Requirements: The proposed amendments remove the word “land” from all references to surveying, as approved by legislation in 2024. Subchapter 23. Violations: The proposed amendments remove the word “land” from all references to surveying, as approved by legislation in 2024 and allow the Board to consider certain extenuating factors regarding administrative fines, which are also in the national model rules.

The agency’s own summary, as published.