My nephew (the PG) sent me this. Read the third paragraph
BREAKING TAPG NEWS!!!!!
A BILL HAS BEEN FILED TO MERGE THE TBPG WITH THE ENGINEERING BOARD!!!
Representative Geren has filed House Bill 2480 that would merge the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) with the Texas Board of Professional Engineers (TBPE).
The Bill would combine the two respective boards. The Agency will still be known as the Texas Board of Professional Engineers (TBPE). The composition of the current TBP E as stated is six Professional Engineers and three members of the Public. The new Board would consist of six Professional Engineers, five Professional Geoscientists and four members of the Public. The bill does not outline if any of the TBPG agency employees would be absorbed into the new agency or how the fee structure would work.
There are many questions out there right now as to how this would all work. At this point we do not know if this will even take place. The Bill introduced would also merge the Professional Land Surveyors into the Architecture Board.
TAPG and legislative task force are currently working to understand the ramifications of this Bill. We are still trying to determining what our options are. As of last week, we were told that the TBPG would get its funding request as outlined by the Legislative Budget Board and that the House Appropriations Committee was not going to tinker with our structure or independence. As it should be noted, the legislative events in Austin are very fluid and volatile and can change quickly.
TAPG will remain on top of this situation as we discuss the latest situation with other Professional Societies. Stay tuned and check the TAP Blog (TAPG.wordpress.com) for regular updates!!!
Also you can subscribe to this Blog at www.tapgonline.org on the panel to the left to get the latest updates to the TAPG Blog!
To read the HB 2480 in it’s entirety click here….
There are so many professional engineers in Texas that I'll be surprised if they stand idly by and see their licensing board get diluted by as many "geoscientists" as are proposed to be added to the membership.
Dual Responsibility Boards
There are combined PE/LS Boards in three state where I have a license......NY, NJ and CT.
It doesn't seem to be a particular problem, so far as I have seen.
Kent
While I don't think they'll stand by, they won't win. The amount of money that TBPE will generate with the new members will have all of the board members seeing $'s.
I saw the bill that will put us with your brothers in the architects. That board will go to 11 members with only 2 being surveyors. No mention of LSLS or RPLS. Then I saw a rumor about the LSLS's being under the GLO or basically being beholden to two boards.
This free-for-all is really getting some traction under it and will be interesting to see what all shakes out after this train de-rails and wrecks.
I'd have rather been in with the engineers than the architects. Geeze those guys whine all the time.
Dual Responsibility Boards
Well, it takes a majority vote to pass anything on the NY board. The Engineers can pass anything they want without a single surveyors vote. The Surveyors can't pass anything without cooperation from at least two Engineers. It is unequal representation in essentially a political process. I see that as a particularly devastating problem for a profession or any group that wishes equal treatment.
Kent
> Then I saw a rumor about the LSLS's being under the GLO or basically being beholden to two boards.
I see no reason why the LSLS licensees ought not to be regulated by the Commissioner of the GLO. That is exactly what the licensees amount to: agents of the Commissioner.
The LSLS license grew out of the 19th century role of State Surveyor, which was just a temporary appointment by the Commissioner for a particular project and with a bond as large as that which County Surveyors were required to post. Returning the LSLS licensees to the control of the GLO really just clarifies their actual role and distinguishes it from that of the RPLS which is to serve the landowning public generally.
Kent
Fine, but what about "substandard work" done by an LSLS. Since they are beholden to the state, and working for the state, then what happens or who investigates?
Of course this is a circular argument that won't end. I've heard it said by an LSLS that the LSLS, when working in his/her official capacity, need not adhere to the MTS as promulgated by the state. WTH is wrong with this?
Dual Responsibility Boards
ding ding ding ding! We have a winner, Jim, tell him what he's won!
Kent
> Fine, but what about "substandard work" done by an LSLS. Since they are beholden to the state, and working for the state, then what happens or who investigates?
If the Commissioner of the GLO finds that an LSLS has messed something up, he can instruct the LSLS to fix it or terminate his or her license. The State Surveyors were operating with the prospect of losing a $10,000 bond hanging over them (ten grand in 1889 dollars is at least $250k in present dollars). Since all of the work that LSLS licensees perform is submitted to the GLO, the surveying staff will have some means of knowing when there may be a problem.
Dual Responsibility Boards
While I agree with you Duane, to an extent, a more important issue would be the relative lobbying power of the respective professions with regard to the state legislature, and specifically, members of the legislative committees that handle professional licensing and higher education.
Dual Responsibility Boards
Tex Board of Archietypes and Surveyors. House Bill 2480
4 architects
1 interior designer
1 landscape architect
2 surveyors
3 members of the public, of which 1 must be disabled.
Thank yew, Charlie Geren.
Dual Responsibility Boards
At least surveyors are included with a respected profession, Architects, instead of one of the trades.
Dual Responsibility Boards
"The Bill introduced would also merge the Professional Land Surveyors into the Architecture Board."
Phew! Just in time for Kent to find a robot that measures in inches.
Kent
REALLY! You're, above all others, supporting the fact that the two licenses are not treated fairly? You think that we're not hung with using mistakes that an LSLS makes? Hell, they are the judge, jury and executioner if the place a survey corner in the wrong spot, can't measure very well or whatever, so long as it gets recorded in the GLO.
I'm quite surprised at your view on this after the ad-nauseum railings against LSLS's in general that you've had over the years.
I have never liked the fact that the two licensed aren't treated equally and that the LSLS can get away with not performing to MTS.
Dual Responsibility Boards
Yea! We have no equal representations! Of course they want us! They can treat us like the red-headed step children that Architects think surveyors are anyway!
I can't wait for this train to wreck out!
Dual Responsibility Boards
We had to start paying a bribe to Governor Goodhair last legislative session in order to keep our board from being merged with the plumbers and hairdressers. Now that we are losing our board anyway, are our registration fees going to go back down? 😛 (Rhetorical question).
Dual Responsibility Boards
Only whores and architects measure in inches.
I would imagine your LSLS there in Texas think they are better than
other surveyors.
In my area, we have a couple CFEDS who think they are the best but
can't survey worth a flip!!
Kent
> I'm quite surprised at your view on this after the ad-nauseum railings against LSLS's in general that you've had over the years.
I hadn't thought it was any mystery that I think the LSLS license should be abolished. If the Commissioner of the GLO wants a bunch of surveyors available to engage in price competition for such small amount of work as is done by the LSLS licensees I see no reason why the State Surveyor system wouldn't work just as well as long as they hold an RPLS license. The reality is that the GLO staff are in a position to nitpick anything an LSLS submits to death, keeping it in limbo, unapproved in their office for years.
Dual Responsibility Boards
Andy,
I quixotically thought the same thing for a moment, but then thought about how the cat is out of the bag now, with the amount we're paying and they'll never reduce that. The surveying tax is the same way.
I talked to another RPLS yesterday whose wife is a(n) R.N. Guess how much they pay for the registration renewal every TWO years? $65.......of course, there are more of them than surveyors.
I agree with Kent concerning the LSLS issue. I've never understood why they weren't directly under the GLO.
Dual Responsibility Boards
California started out with the Land Surveyors in 1892. Most of them called themselves "Civil Engineer" and only put "State Licensed Land Surveyor" under their signature line on Survey maps. Then Civil Engineers licensing started in 1930 and they were initially going to eliminate the LS license but ultimately it was kept, hence the combined board. Recently the Geologists were joined into our Board so now it is the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists (BPELSG). One friend said, "This makes sense, now Geologists can have Engineers making decisions for them too!"
