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.