Panel forwards bill to let fire protection technology graduates pursue professional engineering licensure; engineers urge safeguards

House Bill 306, sponsored in committee by Chairman Cook and supported in testimony by Eastern Kentucky University officials, was reported favorably by the Committee on Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations after extended testimony and questions.

Representatives and witnesses described the bill as focused on the education leg of professional engineering licensure. Josh Reichard, associate professor and program coordinator for Eastern Kentucky University’s fire protection and safety engineering technology program, and other EKU representatives said EKU’s ABET-accredited engineering technology curriculum prepares graduates to pursue licensure and that current Kentucky statute (KRS cited in testimony) limits licensure access to graduates of EAC‑accredited engineering programs. EKU witnesses said students often leave Kentucky to obtain licensure elsewhere and that EKU graduates pass the professional engineering exam in fire protection at comparable rates to other programs.

Opposition testimony came from the Kentucky Society of Professional Engineers, the American Council of Engineering Companies chapter in Kentucky, and staff from the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers. Russ Roman and Kyle Elliott argued that engineering technology curricula do not uniformly include engineering design courses and that Kentucky’s existing pathway—through master’s degrees or an education equivalency review—helps ensure graduates meet education standards recommended by national licensing organizations such as NCEES. Licensing board staff and enforcement officials cited historical reasons for strict degree requirements and stressed public‑safety consequences when design work is not subject to appropriate educational standards.

Committee members repeatedly urged all parties to meet and seek compromise. Several lawmakers said they supported the bill’s intent to retain relevant workforce and educational opportunities for Kentucky students but wanted to ensure safeguards—such as specifying additional experience requirements or curricular benchmarks—so that licensure standards and public safety remain protected. EKU and the licensing board agreed to meet immediately after the committee hearing to continue talks; multiple members recorded “pass” votes pending that follow-up.

The committee recorded a favorable recommendation on the bill. Representative Clines recorded a yes vote for HB306 during the roll call; several members explained their votes and requested continued negotiation. The chair said the measure would go forward to the House floor for further consideration.