04/10/2009 01:38 PM Senate FIN

SENATE BILL NO. 114                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act extending the termination date of the State                                                                        
     Board of Registration for Architects, Engineers, and                                                                       
     Land Surveyors; and providing for an effective date."                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:48:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR JOE  PASKVAN, gave the  committee an overview  of the                                                                   
legislation.  He  noted  that  the board  fees  are  paid  by                                                                   
licensees, which  cover the  board's full operating  expense.                                                                   
There is no need for state money. The board is in good                                                                          
financial standing with a surplus since FY06. He emphasized                                                                     
that new funds are not required to implement the bill.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Senator Paskvan read from the Sponsor Statement (Copy on                                                                        
File):                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     The   State  Board  of   Registration  for   Architects,                                                                   
     Engineers,  and  Land Surveyors  is  a regulatory  board                                                                   
     consisting of 10 members  appointed by the governor. The                                                                   
     board  consists   of  two  civil  engineers,   two  land                                                                   
     surveyors,  one  mining   engineer,  one  electrical  or                                                                   
     mechanical  engineer, one  engineer from another  branch                                                                   
     of the  profession of  engineering, two architects,  and                                                                   
     one public member.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Senate Bill 114 seeks to  extend the termination date of                                                                   
     the  Board from  June 30,  2009,  to June  30, 2017,  as                                                                   
     recommended by the Legislative Auditor.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     The  CS for  SB 114(L&C)  corrects an  oversight in  the                                                                   
     original   bill.  By  statute,   the  position   of  the                                                                   
     temporary  board member  must also  be extended  in this                                                                   
     legislation and that was  not done in the original bill.                                                                   
     The CS simply  maintains the status quo of  the Board of                                                                   
     Architects,  Engineers,  and  Land Surveyors  by  adding                                                                   
     language that  extends the term for one  temporary, non-                                                                   
     voting  board  member  who   must  be  registered  as  a                                                                   
     landscape architect.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     The  enclosed  audit states  that  the Board  "serves  a                                                                   
     public  purpose  and  has  demonstrated  an  ability  to                                                                   
     conduct  its  business  in a  satisfactory  manner.  The                                                                   
     registration  of qualified  architects, engineers,  land                                                                   
     surveyors,   and  landscape   architects  benefits   the                                                                   
     public's health, safety,  and welfare. We recommend that                                                                   
     the  legislature  extend  the termination  date  of  the                                                                   
     board until June 30, 2017."                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator Paskvan urged support of the legislation.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:51:29 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman opened public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
BOYD BROWNFIELD, ENGINEER AND  CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF ARCHITECTS,                                                                   
ENGINEERS,    AND     LAND    SURVEYORS     (testified    via                                                                   
teleconference),  spoke in support of  the bill. He  had been                                                                   
charged with addressing three items:                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
   · Reviewing the original sunset bill. He reported that he                                                                    
     did  read  the  bill and  concurred  with  the  proposed                                                                   
     extension to the year 2017.                                                                                                
   · Legislative audit findings from 2008. The board                                                                            
     concurred   with   the    three   final   findings   and                                                                   
     recommendations of the audit.                                                                                              
   · Inclusion of the temporary, non-voting landscape                                                                           
     architect seat. The board  supports the position and its                                                                   
     inclusion into SB 114.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:54:09 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HARLEY HIGHTOWER, ARCHITECT AND  MEMBER, BOARD OF ARCHITECTS,                                                                   
ENGINEERS,    AND     LAND    SURVEYORS     (testified    via                                                                   
teleconference),  spoke  in support  of  the legislation.  He                                                                   
concurred with Mr. Brownfield's testimony.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman closed public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman  MOVED  to  report  CSSB  114(L&C)  out  of                                                                   
Committee   with    individual   recommendations    and   the                                                                   
accompanying fiscal  note. There  being NO OBJECTION,  it was                                                                   
so ordered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CSSB 114(L&C) was REPORTED out  of Committee with a "do pass"                                                                   
recommendation  and  with  attached  fiscal  note  1  by  the                                                                   
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development.