SB 298 - This act allows a landscape architect to be the chairperson of the Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors and Landscape Architects. It also gives each member of the landscape architectural division of the board a vote when voting on action pending before the board. Starting August 28, 2009, the chairperson of the board will rotate sequentially among an architect, professional engineer, professional land surveyor, and landscape architect. The chairperson shall only serve one four year term as chairperson. The chairperson of the landscape architectural division will be a vice chairperson of the board and will be ranking vice chairperson when the chairperson of the board is a landscape architect.
Eight members of the board, including at least one from each division will be required for a quorum for board business. Two voting members of each division of the board will be required for a quorum for division business.
A faculty member at an accredited school with the rank of assistant professor or higher will be regarded as actively practicing landscape architecture, in order to eligible for board membership.
The act also specifies that licensees are personally responsible for the contents of all documents to which they affix their seal, whether they were prepared or drafted by another licensee, or not. Licensees are also specifically required to only perform those architectural, professional engineering, professional land surveying, and landscape architectural services as they are qualified by education, training, and experience to perform.
Also, professional land surveyors with inactive licenses may continue to use the title "professional land surveyor" or the initials "PLS" after their name.
EMILY KALMER