Senate Bill No. 584

(By Senator Snyder)

____________

[Introduced February 14, 2014; referred to the

Committee on Government Organization.]

____________

A BILL to amend and reenact §30-13-18 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers; providing for calendar year renewal; deleting notification by mail requirement; and authorizing two-year renewal cycles by emergency rule.

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.

    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. 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 The registrant or firm shall be notified of the expiration by mail or electronic means at the contact information provided to the board at least one month in advance of the date of the expiration. An expired certificate may be renewed under rules promulgated by the board and may require reexamination and the payment of penalty fees.

    After the 2014 licensure year, and in accordance with legislative rules, or emergency rules which are authorized for initial implementation, the board may renew certificates for two-year periods.

    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, discontinue the requirement to mail renewal notices, and authorize emergency rules to provide for 2-year renewals.

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