HB 1417

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to land surveying and mapping; amending s.
3	472.013, F.S.; revising requirements to be entitled to
4	take the licensure examination to practice in this state
5	as a surveyor and mapper; amending s. 472.015, F.S.;
6	authorizing certain photogrammetrists to qualify for a
7	license by endorsement; amending s. 472.021, F.S.;
8	revising liability of partnerships and other business
9	entities rendering professional surveying and mapping
10	services; amending s. 472.005, F.S.; providing a
11	definition of "photogrammetrist"; amending s. 472.007,
12	F.S.; conforming a provision to the definition of
13	photogrammetrist; providing an effective date.
14
15	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
16
17	Section 1.  Subsection (2) of section 472.013, Florida
18	Statutes, is amended to read:
19	472.013  Examinations, prerequisites.--
20	(2)  An applicant shall be entitled to take the licensure
21	examination to practice in this state as a surveyor and mapper
22	if the applicant is of good moral character and has satisfied
23	one of the following requirements:
24	(a)  The applicant received a degree in surveying and
25	mapping of 4 years or more is a graduate of an approved course
26	of study in a surveying and mapping degree program from a
27	college or university recognized by the board and has a specific
28	experience record of 4 or more years as a subordinate to a
29	professional surveyor and mapper in the active practice of
30	surveying and mapping, which experience is of a nature
31	indicating that the applicant was in responsible charge of the
32	accuracy and correctness of the surveying and mapping work
33	performed. The completed surveying and mapping degree of 4 years
34	or more course of study in a surveying and mapping degree
35	program must have included not fewer than 32 semester hours of
36	study, or its academic equivalent, in the science of surveying
37	and mapping or in board-approved surveying-and-mapping-related
38	courses. Work experience acquired as a part of the education
39	requirement shall not be construed as experience in responsible
40	charge.
41	(b)  The applicant is a graduate of a 4-year course of
42	study, other than in surveying and mapping, at an accredited
43	college or university and has a specific experience record of 6
44	or more years as a subordinate to a registered surveyor and
45	mapper in the active practice of surveying and mapping, 5 years
46	of which shall be of a nature indicating that the applicant was
47	in responsible charge of the accuracy and correctness of the
48	surveying and mapping work performed. The course of study in
49	disciplines other than surveying and mapping must have included
50	not fewer than 32 semester hours of study or its academic
51	equivalent. The applicant must have completed a minimum of, 25
52	semester hours from a college or university approved by the
53	board of which shall be in surveying and mapping subjects or in
54	any combination of courses in civil engineering, surveying,
55	mapping, mathematics, photogrammetry, forestry, or land law and
56	the physical sciences. Any of the required 25 semester hours of
57	study completed not as a part of the 4-year course of study
58	shall be approved at the discretion of the board. Work
59	experience acquired as a part of the education requirement shall
60	not be construed as experience in responsible charge.
61	Section 2.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section
62	472.015, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
63	472.015  Licensure.--
64	(3)(a)  The board shall certify as qualified for a license
65	by endorsement an applicant who:
66	1.  Holds a valid license to practice surveying and mapping
67	issued prior to July 1, 1999, by another state or territory of
68	the United States; has passed a national, regional, state, or
69	territorial licensing examination that is substantially
70	equivalent to the examination required by s. 472.013; and has a
71	specific experience record of at least 8 years as a subordinate
72	to a registered surveyor and mapper in the active practice of
73	surveying and mapping, 6 years of which must be of a nature
74	indicating that the applicant was in responsible charge of the
75	accuracy and correctness of the surveying and mapping work
76	performed; or
77	2.  Holds a valid license to practice surveying and mapping
78	issued by another state or territory of the United States if the
79	criteria for issuance of the license were substantially the same
80	as the licensure criteria that existed in Florida at the time
81	the license was issued; or.
82	3.  Is a practicing photogrammetrist who holds the
83	Certified Photogrammetrist designation of the American Society
84	for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing and held such designation
85	on or before July 1, 2005; is a graduate of a 4-year course of
86	study at an accredited college or university; and has a specific
87	experience record of 6 or more years as a subordinate to a
88	Certified Photogrammetrist of the American Society for
89	Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing in the active practice of
90	surveying and mapping, 5 years of which shall be 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. The course of study must have included not fewer than
94	32 semester hours of study or its academic equivalent. The
95	applicant must have completed a minimum of 25 semester hours
96	from a college or university approved by the board in surveying
97	and mapping subjects or in any combination of courses in civil
98	engineering, surveying, mapping, mathematics, photogrammetry,
99	forestry, or land law and the physical sciences. Any of the
100	required 25 semester hours of study completed not as a part of
101	the 4-year course of study shall be approved at the discretion
102	of the board. Work experience acquired as a part of the
103	education requirement shall not be construed as experience in
104	responsible charge. The applicant must have applied to the
105	department for licensure on or before July 1, 2007.
106	Section 3.  Subsection (3) of section 472.021, Florida
107	Statutes, is amended to read:
108	472.021  Certification of partnerships and corporations.--
109	(3)  The fact that any registered surveyor and mapper
110	practices through a corporation or partnership shall not relieve
111	the registrant from personal liability for negligence,
112	misconduct, or wrongful acts committed by him or her.
113	Partnerships and all partners shall be jointly and severally
114	liable for the negligence, misconduct, or wrongful acts
115	committed by their agents, employees, or partners while acting
116	in a professional capacity. Any officer, agent, or employee of a
117	business organization other than a partnership shall be
118	personally liable and accountable only for negligent acts,
119	wrongful acts, or misconduct committed by him or her or
120	committed by any person under his or her direct supervision and
121	control while rendering professional services on behalf of the
122	business organization. The personal liability of a shareholder
123	or owner of a business organization, in his or her capacity as
124	shareholder or owner, shall be no greater than that of a
125	shareholder-employee of a corporation incorporated under chapter
126	607. The business organization shall be liable up to the full
127	value of its property for any negligent acts, wrongful acts, or
128	misconduct committed by any of its officers, agents, or
129	employees while they are engaged on its behalf in the rendering
130	of professional services. Corporations and stockholders who are
131	surveyors and mappers, or partnerships, and all partners, shall
132	be jointly and severally liable for the negligence, misconduct,
133	or wrongful acts committed by their agents, employees, officers,
134	or partners while acting in a professional capacity.
135	Section 4.  Subsection (8) of section 472.005, Florida
136	Statutes, is amended to read:
137	472.005  Definitions.--As used in ss. 472.001-472.037:
138	(8)  "Photogrammetrist" "Photogrammetric mapper" means any
139	person who engages in the practice of surveying and mapping
140	using aerial or terrestrial photography or other sources of
141	images.
142	Section 5.  Section 472.007, Florida Statutes, is amended
143	to read:
144	472.007  Board of Professional Surveyors and
145	Mappers.--There is created in the Department of Business and
146	Professional Regulation the Board of Professional Surveyors and
147	Mappers. The board shall consist of nine members, six of whom
148	shall be registered surveyors and mappers primarily engaged in
149	the practice of surveying and mapping, one of whom shall be a
150	registered surveyor and mapper with the designation of
151	photogrammetrist photogrammetric mapper, and two of whom shall
152	be laypersons who are not and have never been surveyors and
153	mappers or members of any closely related profession or
154	occupation. Members shall be appointed for 4-year terms.
155	Section 6.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2005.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.