REPRESENTATIVES Widener, Kearns, Hollister

To amend sections 4703.02, 4703.13, and 4733.15 and

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to enact section 4733.151 of the Revised Code to

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increase the annual renewal of registration fee

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for professional engineers and professional

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surveyors, to implement continuing professional

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development requirements for registration renewals

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of professional engineers and surveyors beginning

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in calendar year 2008, and to authorize the state

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board of examiners of architects to adopt rules

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pertaining to continuing education requirements.

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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. That sections 4703.02, 4703.13, and 4733.15 be	11
amended and section 4733.151 of the Revised Code be enacted to	12
read as follows:	13

Sec. 4703.02.  The state board of examiners of architects	14
shall organize by electing from its membership a president and a	15
secretary, and also a vice-president and an assistant secretary,	16
who shall act during absence or disability of the president or	17
secretary respectively.	18

The board shall adopt all necessary rules, regulations, and	19
bylaws, not inconsistent with sections 4703.01 to 4703.19 of the	20
Revised Code, and the constitutions and laws of this state or of	21
the United States, to govern its times and places of meeting for	22
organization and reorganization, for the holding of examinations,	23
and for fixing the length of the term of its officers. The board,	24
under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, may adopt, promulgate, and	25
enforce rules governing the standards of education, service,	26
conduct, and practice to be followed in the practice of the	27
profession of architecture in the state, including rules for the	28
enforcement of sections 4703.01 to 4703.19 of the Revised Code.	29
The board shall include among the rules adopted governing the	30
standardstandards of practice, requirements regarding financial	31
responsibility and professional liability insurance. The board may	32
adopt rules pertaining to the satisfactory completion of	33
continuing education requirements.	34

The board shall hold examinations not less than once	35
annually, and shall issue to each successful applicant a	36
certificate of qualification to practice architecture, and shall	37
impress on each certificate issued the seal of the board.	38

The secretary of the board shall be responsible for keeping a	39
true and complete record of all proceedings of the board. The	40
board may employ an executive secretary, investigators, and such	41
clerical assistance as it determines necessary.	42

Sec. 4703.13.  (A) Each architect holdingwho holds a	43
certificate of qualification under sections 4703.01 to 4703.19 of	44
the Revised Code and who desires to continue the practice of	45
architecture shall, before or during the month of December of each	46
odd-numbered year, make application, together with the renewal fee	47
provided in section 4703.16 of the Revised Code, for a renewal of	48
the certificate, and demonstrate satisfactory completion of any	49
applicable continuing education requirements adopted by the state	50
board of examiners of architects under section 4703.02 of the	51
Revised Code. The renewal shall be pursuant to the standard	52
renewal procedure of sections 4745.01 to 4745.03 of the Revised	53
Code, except that renewal is required in each odd-numbered year	54
instead of annually. Each certificate shall be renewed for a term	55
of two years, and the renewal shall be recorded in the official	56
register of the board.	57

(B) Each holder of a certificate of authorization to provide	58
architectural services shall, before or during the month of each	59
June preceding the year the holder desires to continue to provide	60
architectural services, make application, together with the	61
renewal fee provided in section 4703.16 of the Revised Code, for a	62
renewal of the certificate. Each certificate shall be renewed for	63
a term of one year except as provided in section 4703.12 of the	64
Revised Code.	65

Sec. 4733.15.  (A) Registration expires annually on the last	66
day of December following initial registration or renewal of	67
registration and becomes invalid on that date unless renewed	68
pursuant to this section and the standard renewal procedure of	69
sections 4745.01 to 4745.03 of the Revised Code. Renewal may be	70
effected at any time prior to the date of expiration for a period	71
of one year by the applicant's payingpayment to the treasurer of	72
state of a fee of sixteentwenty dollars for a renewal of	73
registration as either a professional engineer or professional	74
surveyor and, for renewals for calendar year 2008 and thereafter,	75
demonstration of completion of the continuing professional	76
development requirements of section 4733.151 of the Revised Code.	77
When notified as required in this section, a registrant's failure	78
to renew registration shall not deprive the registrant of the	79
right of renewal within the following twelve months, but the fee	80
to renew a registration within twelve months after expiration	81
shall be increased fifty per cent, and the registrant shall	82
certify completion of continuing professional development hours as	83
required in section 4733.151 of the Revised Code. The	84

The state board of registration for professional engineers	85
and surveyors may, upon request, waive the payment of the renewal	86
fees ofor the completion of continuing professional development	87
requirements for a registrant during the period when the	88
registrant is on active duty in connection with any branch of the	89
armed forces of the United States.	90

(B) Each certificate of authorization issued pursuant to	91
section 4733.16 of the Revised Code shall authorize the holder to	92
provide professional engineering or professional surveying	93
services, through the registered professional engineer or	94
professional surveyor designated as being in responsible charge of	95
the professional engineering or professional surveying practice,	96
from the date of issuance until the last day of June next	97
succeeding the date upon which the certificate was issued, unless	98
the certificate has been revoked or suspended for cause as	99
provided in section 4733.20 of the Revised Code or has been	100
suspended pursuant to section 3123.47 of the Revised Code.	101

(C) If a registrant fails to renew registration within one	102
year from the date of expirationas provided under division (A) of	103
this section, its renewal and reinstatement may be effected under	104
rules promulgated by the board adopts regarding requirements for	105
reexamination or reapplication, and reinstatement penalty fees.	106
The board may require a registrant who fails to renew registration	107
to complete up to thirty hours of continuing professional	108
development as an additional condition of renewal and	109
reinstatement if the registrant seeks renewal and reinstatement	110
under this division on or after January 1, 2009.	111

Sec. 4733.151. (A) Each registrant for renewal for calendar	112
year 2008 and thereafter shall have completed, within the	113
preceding calendar year, at least fifteen hours of continuing	114
professional development for professional engineers and surveyors.	115

(B) The continuing professional development requirement may	116
be satisfied by coursework or activities dealing with technical,	117
ethical, or managerial topics relevant to the practice of	118
engineering or surveying. A registrant may earn continuing	119
professional development hours by completing or teaching	120
university or college level coursework, attending seminars,	121
workshops, or conferences, authoring relevant published papers,	122
articles, or books, receiving patent awards, or actively	123
participating in professional or technical societies serving the	124
engineering or surveying professions.	125

Credit for university or college level coursework shall be	126
based on the credit established by the university or college. One	127
semester hour as established by the university or college shall be	128
the equivalent of forty-five hours of continuing professional	129
development, and one quarter hour as established by the university	130
or college shall be the equivalent of thirty hours of continuing	131
professional development.	132

Credit for seminars, workshops, or conferences offering	133
continuing education units shall be based on the units awarded by	134
the organization presenting the seminar, workshop, or conference.	135
A registrant may earn ten continuing professional development	136
hours for each continuing education unit awarded. Each hour of	137
attendance at a seminar, workshop, or conference for which no	138
continuing education units are offered shall be the equivalent of	139
one continuing professional development hour.	140

A registrant may earn two continuing professional development	141
hours for each year of service as an officer or active committee	142
member of a professional or technical society. A registrant may	143
earn ten continuing professional development hours for authoring	144
relevant published papers, articles, or books. A registrant may	145
earn ten continuing professional development hours for each such	146
published paper, article, or book. A registrant may earn ten	147
continuing professional development hours for each patent award.	148

(C) A person registered as both a professional engineer and	149
professional surveyor shall complete at least five of the fifteen	150
hours required under division (A) of this section in	151
engineering-related coursework or activities and at least five of	152
those fifteen hours in surveying-related coursework or activities.	153

(D) A registrant is exempt from the requirements of this	154
section during the first calendar year of registration.	155

(E) A registrant who completes more than fifteen hours of	156
approved coursework or activities in any calendar year may carry	157
forward to the next calendar year a maximum of fifteen of the	158
excess hours.	159

(F) A registrant shall maintain records to demonstrate	160
completion of the continuing professional development requirements	161
specified in this section for a period of three calendar years	162
beyond the year in which certification of the completion of the	163
requirements is obtained by the registrant. The records shall	164
include all of the following:	165

(1) A log specifying the type of coursework or activity, its	166
location and duration along with the instructor's name, and the	167
number of continuing professional development hours earned;	168

(2) Certificates of completion or other evidence verifying	169
attendance.	170

(G) The records specified in division (F) of this section may	171
be audited at any time by the state board of registration for	172
professional engineers and surveyors. If the board discovers that	173
a registrant has failed to complete coursework or activities, it	174
shall notify the registrant of the deficiencies and allow the	175
registrant six months from the date of the notice to rectify the	176
deficiencies and to provide the board with evidence of	177
satisfactory completion of the continuing professional development	178
requirements. If the registrant fails to provide such evidence	179
within that six-month period, the board may revoke or suspend the	180
registration after offering an adjudication hearing in accordance	181
with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.	182

Section 2. That existing sections 4703.02, 4703.13, and	183
4733.15 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.	184