A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to make clarifying changes to the laws regulating engineers and land surveyors.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 89C‑3 reads as rewritten:
"§ 89C‑3.  Definitions.
The following definitions apply in this Chapter:
(1)	Board. – The North Carolina State Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors provided for by this Chapter.
(1a)	Business firm. – A partnership, firm, association, or another organization or group that is not a corporation and is acting as a unit.
(2)	Engineer. – A person who, by reason of special knowledge and use of the mathematical, physical and engineering sciences and the principles and methods of engineering analysis and design, acquired by engineering education and engineering experience, is qualified to practice engineering.
(3)	Engineer intern. – A person who complies with the requirements for education, experience and character, and has passed an examination on the fundamentals of engineering as provided in this Chapter.
(3a)	Inactive licensee. – Licensees who are not engaged in the practice of engineering or land surveying in this State, but renew their licenses as "inactive" as provided in this Chapter.
(4)	Land surveyor intern. – A person who complies with the requirements for education, experience, and character and has passed an examination on the fundamentals of land surveying as provided in this Chapter.
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SECTION 2.  G.S. 89C‑13 reads as rewritten:
"§ 89C‑13.  General requirements for licensure.
(a)	Engineer Applicant. –  The following shall be considered as minimum evidence satisfactory to the Board that the applicant is qualified for licensure as a professional engineer:
(1)	To be certified as an engineer intern, an applicant shall (i) pass the fundamentals of engineering examination and make application to the Board; (ii) be of good character and reputation; (iii) submit three character references to the Board, one of whom is a professional engineer; (iv) comply with the requirements of this Chapter; and (v) meet one of the following requirements:
a.	Education. – Be a graduate of an engineering curriculum or related science curriculum of four years or more, approved by the Board as being of satisfactory standing or a student who is graduating within two semesters, or the equivalent, of the semester in which the fundamentals of engineering examination is administered.
b.	Education and experience. – Be a graduate of an engineering curriculum or related science curriculum of four years or more, other than curriculums approved by the Board as being of satisfactory standing, or possess equivalent education and engineering experience satisfactory to the Board with a specific record of four or more years of progressive experience on engineering projects of a grade and character satisfactory to the Board.
(1a)	To be licensed as a professional engineer, an applicant shall (i) be of good character and reputation; (ii) submit five character references to the Board, two of whom are professional engineers with personal knowledge of the applicant's engineering experience; (iii) comply with the requirements of this Chapter; and (iv) meet one of the following requirements:
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b.	E.I. Certificate, Experience, and Examination. – A holder of a certificate of engineer intern  and with a specific record of an additional four years or more of progressive experience on engineering projects of a grade and character which indicates to the Board that the applicant may be competent to practice engineering, shall be admitted to the principles and practice of engineering examination. Upon passing the examination, the applicant shall be granted a certificate of licensure to practice professional engineering in this State, provided the applicant is otherwise qualified.
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At its discretion the Board may require an applicant to submit exhibits, drawings, designs, or other tangible evidence of engineering work which the applicant personally accomplished or supervised. 
			 
(b)	Land Surveyor Applicant. –  
The evaluation of a land surveyor applicant's qualifications shall involve a consideration of the applicant's education, technical, and land surveying experience, exhibits of land surveying projects with which the applicant has been associated, and recommendations by references. The land surveyor applicant's qualifications may be reviewed at an interview if the Board determines it necessary. Educational credit for institute courses, correspondence courses, or other courses shall be determined by the Board.
The following shall be considered as minimum evidence satisfactory to the Board that the applicant is qualified for licensure as a professional land surveyor:
(1)	To be certified as a land surveyor intern, an applicant shall (i) pass the fundamentals of land surveying examination and make application to the Board; (ii) be of good character and reputation; (iii) submit three character references to the Board, one of whom is a professional land surveyor; (iv) comply with the requirements of this Chapter; and (v) satisfy one of the following requirements related to education and experience:
a.	Be a graduate of a surveying curriculum of four years or more or other equivalent curriculum in surveying approved by the Board. An applicant meeting the requirements of this sub‑subdivision shall be certified as a surveying intern if the applicant is otherwise qualified.
b.	Have rightful possession of an associate degree in surveying technology approved by the Board, a record satisfactory to the Board of four years of progressive practical experience, two years of which shall have been under a practicing professional land surveyor, and have satisfactorily passed a written and oral examination as required by the Board.
c.	Have graduated from high school or completed a high school equivalency certificate with a record satisfactory to the Board of 10 years of progressive, practical experience, six years of which shall have been under a practicing licensed land surveyor, and have satisfactorily passed any oral and written examinations required by the Board.
(1a)	To be licensed as a professional land surveyor, an applicant shall (i) be of good character and reputation; (ii) submit five character references to the Board, two of whom are professional land surveyors with personal knowledge of the applicant's land surveying experience; (iii) comply with the requirements of this Chapter; and (iv) meet one of the following requirements:
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The Board shall require an applicant to submit exhibits, drawings, plats, or other tangible evidence of land surveying work executed by the applicant under proper supervision and which the applicant has personally accomplished or supervised."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 89C‑15(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	Examinations will be given as follows:
(1)	Fundamentals of Engineering. – Consists of an  examination on the fundamentals of engineering. Passing this examination qualifies the applicant for an engineer intern certificate, provided the applicant has met all other requirements for licensure required by this Chapter.
(2)	Principles and Practice of Engineering. – Consists of an  examination on applied engineering. Passing this examination qualifies the applicant for licensure as a professional engineer, provided the applicant has met the other requirements for licensure required by this Chapter.
(3)	Fundamentals of Land Surveying. – Consists of an  examination on the fundamentals of land surveying. Passing this examination qualifies the applicant for a land surveyor intern certificate provided the applicant has met all other requirements for certification required by this Chapter.
(4)	Principles and Practice of Land Surveying. – Consists of an examination on the applied disciplines of land surveying and an examination on requirements specific to the practice of land surveying in North Carolina. Passing each of these examinations qualifies the applicant for a professional land surveyor certificate provided the applicant has met all other requirements for certification required by this Chapter."
SECTION 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law.