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:

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

Surveyors" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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

qualification for registration.

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

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

land surveyors. The application shall:

     (i) Contain statements made under oath;

     (ii) Show the applicant's education;

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

and

     (iv) Designate references as described in this section.

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

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

board.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

professional land surveyor.

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

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

surveyor-in training, respectively:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

qualified.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     (I) Statistical analysis (3 credit hours).

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

trusts, professional ethics.

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

small business management, micro economics.

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

ecology.

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

computer programming, AutoCAD basics, AutoCAD advanced.

     (N) English composition (3 credit hours).

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

speech.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

state, provided the applicant is qualified.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

state, provided the applicant is qualified.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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hours).

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

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

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

biology, ecology.

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

computer programming, AutoCAD basics, AutoCAD advanced.

     (F) English composition (3 credit hours).

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

speech.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

December 31, 2009.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

the applicant is qualified .

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

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

experience satisfactory to the board.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

surveying in this state, provided the applicant is qualified.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

the board:

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

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

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

Calculus, or higher.

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

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

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

courses.

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

soils, dendrology, chemistry, biology or ecology.

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

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

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

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

speech (six (6) credit hours).

     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

***

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

educational and experience standards for applicants seeking registration as professional land

surveyors.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC004635

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