HBA-TBM S.B. 697 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 697 By: Wentworth Licensing & Administrative Procedures 4/11/2001 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, licensed professional engineers are one of the few professional or occupational groups in Texas that do not have mandatory continuing education requirements. Under current law, the Texas Board of Professional Engineers (board) is authorized to administer a continuing education program, but participation is voluntary. Senate Bill 697 authorizes the board by rule to require continuing education for a licensed professional engineer. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the Texas Board of Professional Engineers in SECTION 1 (Section 8) of this bill. ANALYSIS Senate Bill 697 amends The Texas Engineering Practice Act to authorize the Texas Board of Professional Engineers (board) by rule to require continuing education for persons regulated by the board. The bill prohibits rules adopted from requiring a license holder to obtain more than eight hours of continuing education in one year. The bill requires that rules adopted permit a license holder to certify at the time the license is renewed that the license holder has complied with the board's continuing education requirements. The bill requires that rules permit a license holder to receive continuing education credit for education, technical, ethical, or professional management activities related to the practice of engineering. The bill authorizes the board at the request of any person to review a proposal for the procurement of services issued by a governmental entity and issue a finding regarding whether the services are within the scope of the practice of professional engineering. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.