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Committee discusses possible retired‑license category; staff asked to research fiscal impacts
Summary
Committee members discussed establishing a retired license option for landscape architects. Staff warned of significant revenue implications based on other boards’ experience and were asked to research costs and report back; no regulatory change was approved.
The Landscape Architects Technical Committee discussed whether to pursue legal authority and rulemaking to offer a retired license designation, and asked staff to research fiscal and policy implications before any formal proposal.
Laura Zuniga summarized prior experience from other boards: when one board reintroduced a low‑cost retired license the program retired more than 1,000 licenses and the board experienced approximately a $1 million reduction in ongoing revenue relative to prior projections. Zuniga said LATC does not currently have authority to establish a retired‑license category by regulation and that statute would be required to create that status.
Committee members raised concerns about lost revenue, enforcement and title use. Members noted a retired status prohibits practice — holders cannot perform licensed services — and discussed whether individuals could still describe themselves informally as “retired.” Committee members suggested possible safeguards, a limited fee to cover administrative costs, and a survey of licensees to estimate interest and likely fiscal impact.
Jason (public commenter, representing the California Council of the American Society of Landscape Architects) said CCSLA had not formed a position but supported more study and careful consideration. UCLA Extension director Stephanie Landrigan (public comment) said she had no objection to delaying action and encouraged staff study.
The committee did not adopt substantive regulatory language or a legislative request at the meeting. Staff were asked to do additional research, including workload and budget impact analysis, and to return with a more detailed proposal if warranted.
