2018 -- S 2335

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LC004635

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- LAND SURVEYORS

     

     Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, Lynch Prata, Crowley, Felag, and Coyne

     Date Introduced: February 15, 2018

     Referred To: Senate Commerce

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 5-8.1-9 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-8.1 entitled "Land

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Surveyors" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     5-8.1-9. Board of registration for professional land surveyors -- Application and

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qualification for registration.

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     (a) (1) Application for registration as a professional land surveyor or certification as a

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surveyor-in-training shall be made, in writing, on a form prescribed and furnished by the board of

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land surveyors. The application shall:

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     (i) Contain statements made under oath;

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     (ii) Show the applicant's education;

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     (iii) Contain a detailed summary of the applicant's technical and professional experience;

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and

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     (iv) Designate references as described in this section.

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     (b) The fee established in ยง 5-8.1-11 must accompany each application. Failure to include

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this fee will result in the application being returned to the applicant without consideration by the

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board.

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     (c) To be eligible for registration as a professional land surveyor, an applicant must be of

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good character and reputation. Additionally, the applicant must submit five (5) references with

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his or her application, three (3) of which are from registered professional land surveyors having

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personal knowledge of his or her land surveying experience. No person seeking his or her initial

 

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registration as a professional land surveyor shall be granted the certificate without first

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completing a surveyor-in-training program as prescribed and approved by the board and pass an

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examination in the fundamentals of land surveying. Upon passing that examination the applicant

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is granted a surveyor-in-training certificate in this state.

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     (d) To be eligible for certification as a surveyor-in-training, an applicant must be of good

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character and reputation substantiated by an interview with a quorum of the board of registration

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and additionally must submit three (3) character references one of which must be from a

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professional land surveyor.

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     (e) One of the following shall be considered as minimum evidence to the board that the

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applicant is qualified for registration as a professional land surveyor or for certification as a land-

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surveyor-in training, respectively:

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     (i) Graduation from a four (4) year survey degree program, experience and examination.

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A graduate of a four (4) year survey degree program may be admitted to an examination in the

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fundamentals of land surveying. Upon passing that examination the applicant is granted a

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surveyor-in-training certificate in this state. After receiving the surveyor-in-training certificate the

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applicant will need a specific record of a minimum four (4) years of experience in land surveying.

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This verified experience shall be under the direct supervision of a registered professional land

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surveyor, satisfactory to the board and shall be broken down as follows. At a minimum twenty

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percent (20%) shall be field experience, twenty percent (20%) shall be research, deed evidence,

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reconciliation, etc. and twenty percent (20%) shall be property line calculations and

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determination. Once the experience has been deemed satisfactory to the board, the applicant may

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be admitted to an examination in the principles and practice of land surveying plus an additional

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Rhode Island legal portion. Upon passing that examination, the applicant is granted a certificate

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of registration to practice land surveying in this state, provided the applicant is qualified.

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     (ii) Graduation from a four (4) year degree program, experience and examination. A

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graduate of a four (4) year degree program applicant who has also fulfilled the four (4) year core

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curriculum (see paragraph (iii) below subsection (h) of this section) may be admitted to an

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examination in the fundamentals of land surveying. Upon passing that examination the applicant

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is granted a surveyor-in-training certificate in this state. After receiving the surveyor-in-training

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certificate the applicant will need a specific record of a minimum five (5) years of experience in

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land surveying. This verified experience shall be under the direct supervision of a registered

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professional land surveyor, satisfactory to the board and shall be broken down as follows: At a

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minimum twenty percent (20%) shall be field experience; twenty percent (20%) shall be research,

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deed evidence, reconciliation, etc. and twenty percent (20%) shall be property line calculations

 

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and determination. Once the experience has been deemed satisfactory to the board, the applicant

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may be admitted to an examination in the principles and practice of land surveying plus an

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additional Rhode Island legal portion. Upon passing that examination, the applicant is granted a

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certificate of registration to practice land surveying in this state, provided the applicant is

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qualified.

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     (iii) Four (4) year core curriculum. An applicant with a four (4) year degree as described

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in paragraph (ii) above may need to take additional courses to fulfill, at a minimum, the following

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core curriculum. For the following list of classes any equivalent class may be taken and any

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survey related course may be substituted upon approval of the board:

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     (A) Surveying I (3 credit hours), Surveying II (3 credit hours).

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     (B) GPS & Geodetic control (3 credit hours).

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     (C) Photogrammetry and remote sensing (3 credit hours).

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     (D) Boundary adjustment computations (3 credit hours).

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     (E) Land development/planning (3 credit hours).

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     (F) Geographic/land information systems (3 credit hours).

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     (G) Physics I with lab (4 credit hours).

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     (H) Calculus I (4 credit hours), Calculus II (4 credit hours).

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     (I) Statistical analysis (3 credit hours).

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     (J) Law (12 credit hours): boundary law, law of contracts, law of property, estates &

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trusts, professional ethics.

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     (K) Business (9 credit hours): Quantitative business analysis I, business administration,

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small business management, micro economics.

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     (L) Science (9 credit hours): geology, astronomy, soils, dendrology, chemistry, biology,

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ecology.

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     (M) Computer usage (12 credit hours): introduction to computers, computer science,

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computer programming, AutoCAD basics, AutoCAD advanced.

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     (N) English composition (3 credit hours).

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     (O) Advanced communication (6 credit hours): technical writing, creative writing or

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speech.

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     (iv)(iii) Graduation from a two (2) year survey degree program, experience, and

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examination. A graduate of a two (2) year survey degree program may be admitted to an

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examination in the fundamentals of land surveying. Upon passing that examination the applicant

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is granted a surveyor-in-training certificate in this state. After receiving the surveyor-in-training

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certificate the applicant will need a specific record of a minimum six (6) five (5) years of verified

 

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experience in land surveying. (Four (4) of the years of experience shall be after receiving a

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surveyor-in-training certificate). All six (6) five (5) years of experience shall be under the direct

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supervision of a registered professional land surveyor, satisfactory to the board and shall be

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broken down as follows: At a minimum twenty percent (20%) shall be field experience, twenty

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percent (20%) shall be research, deed evidence, reconciliation, etc. and twenty percent (20%)

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shall be property line calculations and determination. Once the experience has been deemed

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satisfactory to the board, the applicant may be admitted to an examination in the principles and

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practice of land surveying plus an additional Rhode Island legal portion. Upon passing that

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examination, the applicant is granted a certificate of registration to practice land surveying in this

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state, provided the applicant is qualified.

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     (v)(iv) Graduation from a two (2) year degree program, experience, and examination. A

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graduate of a two (2) year degree program applicant who has also fulfilled the two (2) year core

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curriculum (see paragraph (vi) below subsection (h) of this section) may be admitted to an

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examination in the fundamentals of land surveying. Upon passing that examination the applicant

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is granted a surveyor-in-training certificate in this state. After receiving the surveyor-in-training

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certificate the applicant will need a specific record of a minimum seven (7) five (5) years of

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verified experience in land surveying. (Four (4) of the years of experience shall be after receiving

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a surveyor-in-training certificate). All seven (7) five (5) years of experience shall be under the

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direct supervision of a registered professional land surveyor, satisfactory to the board and shall be

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broken down as follows: At a minimum twenty percent (20%) shall be field experience; twenty

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percent (20%) shall be research, deed evidence, reconciliation, etc. and twenty percent (20%)

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shall be property line calculations and determination. Once the experience has been deemed

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satisfactory to the board, the applicant may be admitted to an examination in the principles and

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practice of land surveying plus an additional Rhode Island legal portion. Upon passing that

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examination, the applicant is granted a certificate of registration to practice land surveying in this

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state, provided the applicant is qualified.

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     (vi) Two (2) year core curriculum. An applicant with a two (2) year degree as described

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in paragraph (v) above may need to take additional courses to fulfill, at a minimum, the following

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core curriculum. For the following list of classes any equivalent class may be taken and any

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survey related course may be substituted upon approval of the board:

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     (A) Surveying I (3 credit hours), Surveying II (3 credit hours).

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     (B) Mathematics (12 credit hours): advanced algebra, analytical trigonometry, analytical

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geometry, spherical trigonometry, statistical analysis or quantitative business analysis I,

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Analytical trigonometry and analytical geometry are mandatory classes to fulfill the (12 credit

 

LC004635 - Page 4 of 8

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hours).

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     (C) Business and law (6 credit hours): legal principles, business administration, law of

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contracts, law of property, estates & trusts, professional ethics.

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     (D) Science (6 credit hours): physics, geology, astronomy, soils, dendrology, chemistry,

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biology, ecology.

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     (E) Computer usage (6 credit hours): introduction to computers, computer science,

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computer programming, AutoCAD basics, AutoCAD advanced.

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     (F) English composition (3 credit hours).

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     (G) Advanced communication (6 credit hours): technical writing, creative writing or

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speech.

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     (vii) Graduation from a two (2) year program, experience and examination. Any person

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obtaining a minimum of five (5) years experience under the supervision of a registered

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professional land surveyor, and is satisfactory to the board, may be admitted to an examination in

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the fundamentals of land surveying. Upon passing that examination the applicant is granted a

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surveyor-in-training certificate (LSIT), in this state provided the applicant is qualified. Upon

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obtaining a specific record of a minimum of an additional five (5) years of experience of

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combined office and field experience satisfactory to the board in land surveying, which

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experience was under the direct supervision of a registered professional land surveyor, and which

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experience indicates to the board that the applicant may be competent to practice land surveying,

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and the person is a graduate of a land surveying or related curriculum of satisfactory standing, of

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two (2) years or more approved by the board, who has obtained an associates degree in land

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surveying or related curriculum, the applicant may be submitted to an examination in the

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principles and practice of land surveying plus an additional Rhode Island legal portion. Upon

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passing that examination, the applicant is granted a certificate of registration to practice land

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surveying in this state, provided the applicant is qualified. This subsection expires at midnight,

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December 31, 2009.

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     (viii) In certain instances in which an applicant presents an experience of unusually high

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quality, the board, at its complete discretion, may allow an applicant, having acquired six (6)

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verified years of active office and field experience in land surveying, which experience has been

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under the direct supervision of a professional land surveyor, to be admitted to an examination in

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the fundamentals of land surveying. Upon passing those examinations, the applicant is granted a

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surveyor-in-training certificate in the state. This subsection does not exempt the applicant from

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the required degree or the experience after obtaining the surveyor-in-training certificate (LSIT).

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     (v) Experience, and examination. An applicant that has recorded a minimum of seven (7)

 

LC004635 - Page 5 of 8

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years verified experience and who has also fulfilled the core curriculum (see subsection (h) of this

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section) will need a specific record of a minimum of seven (7) years of verified experience in

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land surveying. All seven (7) years of experience shall be under the direct supervision of a

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registered professional land surveyor, satisfactory to the board and shall be broken down as

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follows: At a minimum twenty percent (20%) shall be field experience; twenty percent (20%)

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shall be research, deed evidence, reconciliation, etc. and twenty percent (20%) shall be property

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line calculations and determination. Once the experience has been deemed satisfactory to the

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board, the applicant may be admitted to an examination in the principles and practice of land

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surveying plus an additional Rhode Island legal portion. Upon passing that examination, the

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applicant is granted a certificate of registration to practice land surveying in this state, provided

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the applicant is qualified .

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     (ix)(vi) Surveying teaching. Teaching of advanced land surveying subjects in a college or

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university offering an approved land surveying curriculum may be considered as land surveying

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experience satisfactory to the board.

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     (x)(vii) Registration by comity or endorsement. A person holding a current certificate of

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registration to engage in the practice of land surveying issued to him or her by a proper authority

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of a state, territory, or possession of the United States, or the District of Columbia must have, at

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the time they were licensed, met the existing Rhode Island requirements for licensure. All

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applicants applying under this section must have passed the written examinations in the

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fundamentals of land surveying and the principles and practice of land surveying. If, based upon

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verified evidence and the opinion of the board, the applicant meets all appropriate requirements

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of this section, the applicant will be allowed to take the Rhode Island legal portion. Upon passing

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this examination the applicant shall be granted a certificate of registration to practice land

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surveying in this state, provided the applicant is qualified.

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     (f) The passing grade on all examinations offered by the land surveyors is not less than

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seventy percent (70%). An applicant failing any examination may apply for re-examination upon

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payment of the appropriate fees. An applicant who scores less than fifty percent (50%) on any

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examination may not apply for re-examination for at least one year.

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     (g) An applicant who fails any of the exams three (3) times shall be interviewed by the

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board, before any further application can be acted upon. It is the applicant's responsibility to show

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the board that he or she will be successful if allowed to take the exam again. If in the board's

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opinion the applicant can not satisfactorily demonstrate that he or she is qualified to re-take the

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exam, the board may require that the applicant acquire additional knowledge, education, and or

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experience, satisfactory to the board before the applicant may sit for another exam.

 

LC004635 - Page 6 of 8

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     (h) Core curriculum. An applicant with a four (4) year degree as described in subsection

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(e)(ii) of this section, a two (2) year degree as described in subsection (e)(iv) of this section, or

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experience as described in subsection (e)(v) of this section may need to take additional courses to

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fulfill at a minimum, the following core curriculum. For the following list of classes any

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equivalent class may be taken and any survey related course may be substituted upon approval of

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the board:

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     (1) Surveying (six (6) credit hours). Surveying I or equivalent, Surveying II or equivalent.

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Courses must cover topics of GPS & Geodetic control and boundary adjustment computations.

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     (2) Mathematics (nine (9) credit hours). Qualifying courses: Algebra, Trigonometry, Pre-

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Calculus, or higher.

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     (3) Business and law (six (6) credit hours). Qualifying courses: boundary law, contract

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law, property law, trusts and estates, professional ethics, quantitative business analysis I, business

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administration, small business management, micro economics, accounting principles or related

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courses.

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     (4) Science (nine (9) credit hours). Qualifying courses: physics, geology, astronomy,

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soils, dendrology, chemistry, biology or ecology.

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     (5) Computer Usage (three (3) credit hours). Qualifying courses: introduction to

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computer, computer science, computer programing, AutoCad basics, AutoCAD advantage,

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geographic/land information systems, introduction to spreadsheets, or word processing.

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     (6) English composition, English composition II, technical writing, creative writing, or

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speech (six (6) credit hours).

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC004635

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- LAND SURVEYORS

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     This act would streamline the application and examination process as well as the

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educational and experience standards for applicants seeking registration as professional land

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surveyors.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC004635

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