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) BeforePrior to1980, 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 24or 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 26or more years as a 71 subordinate to a registered surveyor and mapper in the active 72 practice of surveying and mapping, which experience is5 years73of which shall beof 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.