‘An Act To Amend the Laws Concerning the Registration of Professional Engineers’
| HP0711 LD 1028 |
Session - 127th Maine Legislature C "A", Filing Number H-303, Sponsored by
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LR 913 Item 2 |
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| Bill Tracking, Additional Documents | Chamber Status | ||
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
‘An Act To Amend the Laws Concerning the Registration of Professional Engineers’
Amend the bill by inserting after the title and before the enacting clause the following:
‘Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers currently lacks the statutory ability to provide an equitable solution for licensure renewal that does not unfairly burden a licensee whose license has lapsed prior to renewal and who was licensed under a prior experience-based pathway to licensure; and
Whereas, this legislation will restore fairness to the statutes governing the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers by providing the board with the discretion to waive overly burdensome renewal requirements and should be enacted immediately in order to protect engineers who are in danger of losing their licenses; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,’
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 1 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1. 32 MRSA §1357, as amended by PL 2013, c. 296, §6, is further amended to read:
§ 1357. Expiration and renewals
Licenses expire on the last day of December of each odd-numbered years following their issuance or renewal and become invalid on that date unless renewed year and a licensee may not practice professional engineering with an expired license. The board shall notify every person licensed under this chapter of the date of the expiration of that person's license and the amount of the fee that is required for its renewal for a 2-year period, except when the applicant has become licensed during the first year of the 2-year period, then the renewal fee is for the remaining one year of that 2-year period. The notice must be provided at least one month in advance of the date of the expiration of the license. Renewal may be effected at any time A license may be renewed after completion of continuing education professional development requirements and after receipt of notice by the payment of a fee established by rule by the board, which may not exceed $50 $200 annually. Licenses may be renewed up to 90 days after the date of expiration upon payment of a late fee of $10 established by rule by the board in addition to the renewal fee. Any person who submits an application for renewal more than 90 days after the license renewal date is subject to all requirements governing new applicants under this chapter, except that if the renewal application is made within 3 years from the date of the expiration the board may in its discretion, giving due consideration to the protection of the public, waive examination if the renewal application is made within 3 years from the date of the expiration any additional qualifications if the licensee has held a license for at least 10 years, has completed all professional development requirements and has never been subject to discipline in this or any other jurisdiction.’
Amend the bill by adding before the summary the following:
‘Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.’
SUMMARY
This amendment removes provisions in the bill that propose to allow an engineer whose license has expired to renew that license up to 5 years after the date of expiration and instead provides the board with the authority to waive additional qualifications upon renewal if the licensee meets specific criteria. The amendment replaces continuing education requirements with professional development requirements and increases the renewal fee cap from $50 to $200. It also adds an emergency preamble and emergency clause to the bill.