H. B. 4574

         (By Delegates Morgan, Skaff and R. Phillips)

         [Introduced February 14, 2014; referred to the

         Committee on Government Organization then the Judiciary.]

A BILL to amend and reenact §30-13-18 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to authorizing the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers to renew certificates on a biennial basis.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That §30-13-18 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:

ARTICLE 13. ENGINEERS.

§30-13-18. Expirations and renewals.

    (a) Certificates of registration and certificates of authorization for firms expire on the last day of the month of June following issuance December of the year indicated on the certificate and are invalid after that date unless renewed.

    (b) The secretary of the board shall notify every person registered and every firm holding a certification of authorization under this article of the pending expiration of a certificate of registration or certificate of authorization issued to that person or firm, including notice of the fee required to renew the registration or certificate, The notice shall be mailed to the registrant or firm at their last known address at the last mailing address or email address provided to the board, at least one month in advance of the date of the expiration.

    (c) An expired certificate may be renewed under rules promulgated by the board and may require reexamination and the payment of penalty fees.

    (d) Effective July 1, 2014, the board may renew certificates on a biennial basis. The board shall propose rules for legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this chapter, and may promulgate emergency rules pursuant to section fifteen of that article, to implement the provisions of this subsection.

    NOTE: The purpose of this bill is, with regard to professional engineers firms, to change the license year from the fiscal year to the calendar year, allow emailing of renewal notices, and authorize emergency rules to provide for renewals on a biennial basis.

    Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.