PRINTER'S NO. 844
No. 655 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY MADIGAN, STOUT, O'PAKE, M. WHITE, COSTA, RAFFERTY, RHOADES, BOSCOLA, D. WHITE, ORIE AND WONDERLING, MAY 26, 2005
REFERRED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, MAY 26, 2005
AN ACT 1 Amending the act of May 23, 1945 (P.L.913, No.367), entitled, as 2 amended, "An act relating to and regulating the practice of 3 the profession of engineering, including civil engineering, 4 mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, mining 5 engineering and chemical engineering, the profession of land 6 surveying and the profession of geology and constituent parts 7 and combinations thereof as herein defined; providing for the 8 licensing and registration of persons practicing said 9 profession, and the certification of engineers-in-training 10 and surveyors-in-training, and the suspension and revocation 11 of said licenses, registrations and certifications for 12 violation of this act; prescribing the powers and duties of 13 the State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land 14 Surveyors and Geologists, the Department of State and the 15 courts; prescribing penalties; and repealing existing laws," 16 providing for the use of the terms "engineer" and 17 "engineering." 18 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 19 hereby enacts as follows: 20 Section 1. Sections 3 and 6 of the act of May 23, 1945 21 (P.L.913, No.367), known as the Engineer, Land Surveyor and 22 Geologist Registration Law, amended December 16, 1992 (P.L.1151, 23 No.151), are amended to read: 24 Section 3. Practice of Engineering, Land Surveying or 25 Geology Without Licensure and Registration Prohibited.--(a) In
1 order to safeguard life, health or property and to promote the 2 general welfare, it is unlawful for any person to practice or to 3 offer to practice engineering in this Commonwealth, unless he is 4 licensed and registered under the laws of this Commonwealth as a 5 professional engineer, for any person to practice or to offer to 6 practice land surveying, unless he is licensed and registered 7 under the laws of this Commonwealth as a professional land 8 surveyor or for any person to practice or to offer to practice 9 geology unless he is licensed and registered under the laws of 10 this Commonwealth as a professional geologist. Individuals 11 licensed as professional engineers, professional land surveyors 12 or registered landscape architects may perform geological work 13 which is incidental to their engineering, surveying or landscape 14 architecture without being licensed as a professional geologist. 15 (b) A person shall be construed to practice or offer to 16 practice engineering, land surveying or geology who practices 17 any branch of the profession of engineering, land surveying or 18 geology; or who, by verbal claim, sign, advertisement, 19 letterhead, card, or in any other way represents himself to be 20 an engineer, land surveyor or geologist, or through the use of 21 some other title implies that he is an engineer, land surveyor 22 or geologist or that he is registered under this act; or who 23 holds himself out as able to perform, or who does perform any 24 engineering, land surveying or geological service or work or any 25 other service designated by the practitioner or recognized as 26 engineering, land surveying or geology. 27 (c) Notwithstanding subsection (b), the title "engineer" may 28 only be used by an individual licensed as a professional 29 engineer unless the individual is one of the following: 30 (1) A locomotive engineer. 20050S0655B0844 - 2 -
1 (2) An operating engineer. 2 (3) An individual who is not offering engineering services 3 or engaged in the practice of engineering as defined in section 4 2(a)(1). 5 Section 6. Practice by Firms and Corporations.--The practice 6 of engineering, of land surveying and of geology being the 7 function of an individual or of individuals working in concerted 8 effort, it shall be unlawful for any firm or corporation to 9 engage in such practice, or to offer to practice, or to assume 10 use or advertise any title or description, including the use of 11 the term "engineer" or "engineering" in its firm or corporate 12 name, conveying the impression that such firm or corporation is 13 engaged in or is offering to practice such profession, unless 14 the directing heads and employes of such firm or corporation in 15 responsible charge of its activities in the practice of such 16 profession are licensed and registered in conformity with the 17 requirements of this act, and whose name, seal and signature, 18 along with the date of signature, shall be stamped on all plans, 19 specifications, plats and reports issued by such firm or 20 corporation. 21 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days. C17L63MSP/20050S0655B0844 - 3 -