HB 35-EXTEND BD ARCHITECTS/ENGINEERS/SURVEYORS 8:39:46 AM CHAIR ROKEBERG announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 35, "An Act extending the termination date of the State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors; and providing for an effective date." 8:39:50 AM REPRESENTATIVE KOHRING explained that HB 35 extends the State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors to 2009. Based on a recent audit from the Legislative Audit Division there is a compelling reason to extend this board. In the House Finance Committee, the position landscape architect was added as a voting member upon the request of the [board]. However, since that time [the board] has decided to return to the current statute, which specifies 10 members and doesn't allow the landscape architect to vote. The feeling was that there aren't enough landscape architects in the state to warrant full voting membership. 8:41:57 AM REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS asked if Representative Kohring was offering an amendment to that effect. REPRESENTATIVE KOHRING said that he would be happy to offer the amendment at the appropriate time. 8:42:15 AM REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL inquired as to why landscape architects were included as a voting member. REPRESENTATIVE KOHRING recalled that in the House Finance Committee it was felt that the landscape architect industry has evolved to the point at which there are enough people in the industry to be a player in the process, and therefore have an equivalent position as other members on the board. However, there was testimony, including from Representative Holm who is in the industry, that there aren't enough landscape architects in the industry to be a full voting member of the board. 8:43:45 AM CHAIR ROKEBERG recalled that about six to eight years ago, landscape architects were added to the board and there was a substantial controversy at that time. The legislature allowed the landscape architects to be a nonvoting member of the board. This has been an ongoing controversy, he noted. 8:44:46 AM REPRESENTATIVE KOHRING moved that the committee adopt Amendment 1, labeled 24-LS0273\G.1, Bannister, 4/2/05, which read: Page 1, lines 2 - 3: Delete "relating to the membership of the State  Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and  Land Surveyors;" Page 1, line 9, through page 2, line 17: Delete all material. Renumber the following bill section accordingly. REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS objected. REPRESENTATIVE KOHRING specified that Amendment 1 would allow the landscape architect to remain on the board, although it would remove the landscape architect's voting ability. 8:45:40 AM REPRESENTATIVE KOHRING withdrew his motion to adopt Amendment 1. 8:45:58 AM REPRESENTATIVE KOHRING moved to adopt HB 35, Version 24-LS0273\A as the working document. REPRESENTATIVE MCGUIRE objected, and requested that someone from the State Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and Land Surveyors come by to discuss this more. She then withdrew her objection. REPRESENTATIVE KOHRING said he would make arrangements for such a visit with a member of the board. REPRESENTATIVE ROKEBERG requested that Representative Kohring obtain a letter from the Professional Design Council in order to allay concerns. REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS requested a letter from the landscape architects because audit recommendation 3 specifies that the legislature should consider making the landscape architect member a voting member. [Although it was not formally announced, the committee treated HB 35 as adopted and before it.] The committee took an at-ease from 8:48 a.m. to 8:49 a.m. 8:50:15 AM REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS moved to report HB 35, Version 24- LS0273\A, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HB 35 was reported from the House Rules Standing Committee.