ENROLLED
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
H. B. 2867
(By Delegates Boggs, Martin, Varner, Douglas,
Cann and Facemyer)
[Passed March 13, 1999; in effect ninety days from passage.]
A ACT to amend and reenact section six, article nineteen, chapter
thirty of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine
hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to general
requirements and categories for licensing and registration
of foresters; requiring rules; authorizing rules relating to
a code of ethics.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section six, article nineteen, chapter thirty of the
code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 19. FORESTERS.
§30-19-6. General requirements and categories of licensure.
(a) The following is the minimum evidence required to
satisfy the board that the applicant is qualified for licensure
and entitled to use the title of "registered professional
forester," "professional forester," "forester" or other title
connoting to the general public that the applicant is a
registered forester qualified to perform professional forestry services:
(1) Graduation from a four-year degree program in
professional forestry from an accredited college or university
plus two years
related experience in the field of forestry as
defined by rule of the board
; or
(2) Graduation from a two-year technical forestry program
in a program recognized by the society of American foresters,
plus a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
and four years related experience in the field of forestry as
defined by rule of the board.
(b) The following
is the minimum evidence required to
satisfy the board that the applicant is qualified for licensure
and entitled to use the title of "registered forestry technician"
or "forestry technician":
Graduation from a two-year technical
forestry program recognized by the society of American foresters
and four years related experience in the field of forestry as
defined by rule of the board.
(c) Evidence of graduation and completion of required
courses shall be presented by means of an official transcript
which shall be filed permanently with the board. Upon the
effective date of this section, the board may adopt an
interpretive rule pursuant to the provisions of article three,
chapter twenty-nine-a of this code, for the limited purpose of
providing information and guidance to prospective applicants and
the public related to the qualifying experience considered
acceptable to the board pursuant to this section and to the job titles acceptable for use by persons obtaining qualifying
experience, until such time as a legislative rule is made
effective. On or before the first day of July, one thousand nine
hundred ninety-nine, the board shall propose for legislative
approval pursuant to the provisions of article three, chapter
twenty-nine-a of this code, rules authorized by this article and
article one of this chapter, which rules must include provisions
relating to a code of ethics for registered professional
foresters and registered forestry technicians.