Florida Senate - 2021                                    SB 1342
       
       
        
       By Senator Perry
       
       
       
       
       
       8-00352-21                                            20211342__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to licensure requirements for land
    3         surveyors and mappers; amending s. 472.0101, F.S.;
    4         authorizing an exiled professional to substitute
    5         specified lawful practice of the profession for the
    6         education requirement for examination; amending s.
    7         472.013, F.S.; revising education requirements for
    8         licensure; providing that specified work experience
    9         may be substituted for education requirements for
   10         licensure as a land surveyor or mapper; providing an
   11         effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 472.0101, Florida
   16  Statutes, is amended to read:
   17         472.0101 Foreign-trained professionals; special examination
   18  and license provisions.—
   19         (1) When not otherwise provided by law, the department
   20  shall by rule provide procedures under which exiled
   21  professionals may be examined under this chapter. A person is
   22  eligible for the examination if the exiled professional:
   23         (a) Immigrated to the United States after leaving the
   24  person’s home country because of political reasons, provided the
   25  country is located in the Western Hemisphere and does not have
   26  diplomatic relations with the United States;
   27         (b) Applies to the department and submits a fee;
   28         (c) Was a resident of this state immediately preceding the
   29  person’s application;
   30         (d) Demonstrates to the department, through submission of
   31  documentation verified by the applicant’s respective
   32  professional association in exile, that the applicant was
   33  graduated with an appropriate professional or occupational
   34  degree from a college or university. However, the department may
   35  not require receipt of any documentation from the Republic of
   36  Cuba as a condition of eligibility under this section;
   37         (e) Has lawfully practiced the profession for at least 3
   38  years. The person may substitute such practice of the profession
   39  for the education requirement under paragraph (d);
   40         (f) Before Prior to 1980, successfully completed an
   41  approved course of study pursuant to chapters 74-105 and 75-177,
   42  Laws of Florida; and
   43         (g) Presents a certificate demonstrating the successful
   44  completion of a continuing education program which offers a
   45  course of study that will prepare the applicant for the
   46  examination offered under subsection (2). The department shall
   47  develop rules for the approval of such programs for the board.
   48         Section 2. Subsection (2) of section 472.013, Florida
   49  Statutes, is amended to read:
   50         472.013 Examinations, prerequisites.—
   51         (2) An applicant shall be entitled to take the licensure
   52  examination to practice in this state as a surveyor and mapper
   53  if the applicant is of good moral character and has satisfied
   54  one of the following requirements:
   55         (a) The applicant has received a bachelor’s degree, its
   56  equivalent, or higher in surveying and mapping or a similarly
   57  titled program, including, but not limited to, geomatics,
   58  geomatics engineering, and land surveying, from a college or
   59  university recognized by the board and has a specific experience
   60  record of 2 4 or more years as a subordinate to a professional
   61  surveyor and mapper in the active practice of surveying and
   62  mapping, which experience is of a nature indicating that the
   63  applicant was in responsible charge of the accuracy and
   64  correctness of the surveying and mapping work performed. Work
   65  experience acquired as a part of the education requirement may
   66  not be construed as experience in responsible charge.
   67         (b) The applicant has received a bachelor’s degree, its
   68  equivalent, or higher in a course of study, other than in
   69  surveying and mapping, at an accredited college or university
   70  and has a specific experience record of 2 6 or more years as a
   71  subordinate to a registered surveyor and mapper in the active
   72  practice of surveying and mapping, which experience is 5 years
   73  of which shall be of a nature indicating that the applicant was
   74  in responsible charge of the accuracy and correctness of the
   75  surveying and mapping work performed. The applicant must have
   76  completed a minimum of 25 semester hours from a college or
   77  university approved by the board in surveying and mapping
   78  subjects or in any combination of courses in civil engineering,
   79  surveying, mapping, mathematics, photogrammetry, forestry, or
   80  land law and the physical sciences. Any of the required 25
   81  semester hours of study completed not as a part of the
   82  bachelor’s degree, its equivalent, or higher may be approved at
   83  the discretion of the board. Work experience acquired as a part
   84  of the education requirement may not be construed as experience
   85  in responsible charge.
   86         (c)The applicant has received a 2-year associate of arts
   87  degree, or an equivalent 60 credit hours, and has a specified
   88  experience record of 4 or more years as a subordinate to a
   89  professional surveyor and mapper in the active practice of
   90  surveying and mapping, which experience is of a nature
   91  indicating that the applicant was in responsible charge of the
   92  accuracy and correctness of the surveying and mapping work
   93  performed. Work experience acquired as a part of the education
   94  requirement may not be construed as experience in responsible
   95  charge.
   96         (d)The applicant has received a high school diploma, or
   97  the equivalent, and has a specified experience record of 6 or
   98  more years as a subordinate to a professional surveyor and
   99  mapper in the active practice of surveying and mapping, which
  100  experience is of a nature indicating that the applicant was in
  101  responsible charge of the accuracy and correctness of the
  102  surveying and mapping work performed. Work experience acquired
  103  as a part of the education requirement may not be construed as
  104  experience in responsible charge.
  105         (e)The applicant has proof of verifiable work experience
  106  in the active practice of surveying and mapping, which
  107  experience is of a nature indicating that the applicant was in
  108  responsible charge of the accuracy and correctness of the
  109  surveying and mapping work performed.
  110         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.