Texas Board adopts FY2026 expenditure budget, approves rule packages and multiple licensing conditions

The Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors on its August agenda adopted an expenditure budget for fiscal year 2026, directed publication of multiple rule-change packages to implement recent state laws, and approved a series of individual licensure actions and enforcement orders.

Why it matters: The budget sets a not-to-exceed expenditure ceiling and keeps current licensing fees unchanged while the agency implements a statutory transition from annual to two-year renewals. The rule packages, if adopted after public comment, will change renewal timing, continuing-education requirements, procedures for applicants with criminal histories and military applicants, and surveying exam rules, among other items.

Major actions (votes at a glance) - FY2026 expenditure budget: The board approved the agency's proposed expenditure budget as a not-to-exceed amount and recorded there will be no fee changes for the coming year. The motion to approve was made from the floor and seconded; the motion carried by voice vote.

- Rule packages: The board voted to publish several rule-change items for public comment that were described as implementing 2025 legislation and other technical updates. The packages include rules tied to Senate Bill 681 (two-year renewals), Senate Bill 1080 (criminal-history and provisional-license changes), Senate Bill 1259 (surveying exam cleanup and ES exam split), and House Bill 5629 (expedited pathways for active-duty military, spouses and veterans). Committee chairs moved to publish the packages and the board approved each motion by voice vote.

- Licensing and registration committee recommendations: The board approved multiple licensing actions recommended by the Licensing & Registration Committee. Those approvals were conditional on completion of specified ethics coursework (hours and provider listed in the committee motions). Examples recorded in committee minutes and advanced to the full board include: - Robert Badgett: approval for Texas PE licensure upon submitting documentation of successful completion of a 60-hour intermediate-level ethics course from Texas Tech (committee motion). Outcome: approved. - Joshua Crittendon: approval for Texas PE licensure after documentation of the 30-hour basic-level ethics course from Texas Tech. Outcome: approved. - Christopher Hendon: approval for Texas PE licensure after documentation of successful completion of a 60-hour intermediate-level ethics course from Texas Tech. Outcome: approved. - Rudy Luna Jr.: approval for Texas PE licensure after documentation of successful completion of the 60-hour intermediate-level ethics course from Texas Tech, with committee noting Luna had already completed a 30-hour basic course and recommending the board not require repeating those basic-hour topics. Outcome: approved. - Matthew Rosecrans: approval for Texas PE licensure upon submission of documentation of the 30-hour basic ethics course. Outcome: approved. - Michael Simpson: approval for Texas PE licensure after submission of documentation of the 30-hour basic ethics course (staff noted Simpson reported three years of documented sobriety). Outcome: approved. - Vincent Leahy (follow-up): committee moved that Leahy reappear before the licensing committee after completing the 60-hour intermediate course; the board approved that committee recommendation. Outcome: approved (reappearance requirement recorded). - Casey Miller: committee recommended Miller reappear before licensing in six months (February meeting) after successful completion of a 90-hour advanced course; board approved the committee's recommendation. Outcome: approved. (Committee motions that advanced these actions were all adopted by the full board by voice vote; the motions as recorded in the minutes attach the course-hour conditions and the Texas Tech course provider name used in committee documents.)

- Policy advisory opinion: The board approved the recommendation from the Policy Advisory Opinion Committee that staff not publish a new separate advisory opinion regarding whether 'confirmation-technology services' fall under the electrical-engineering exception; instead the item will be posted as staff determination and the requester will be sent a response. Outcome: approved.

- Agreed board orders and consent orders (enforcement): The board adopted one surveying-related agreed order and six engineering consent orders that were presented on the agenda. The enforcement report shows 11 cases represented in today's orders and roughly $28,000 in administrative penalties associated with the closed matters. Outcome: approved.

What the board said and next steps The board's leadership emphasized the two-year renewal transition and its expected effect on agency fund balance. Staff said the move to two-year renewals will increase receipts during the transition (payments double for the renewal cycle) and that the agency has modeled the effect, forecasting a higher ending fund balance over the next two years. Board members and staff noted the board can revisit fee levels if the fund balance later appears excessive.

The rule packages now proceed to the public-comment stage as directed; staff will prepare the filings and public notices required to publish the proposed amendments as the board requested. Licensing approvals conditioned on coursework will be implemented when the applicants submit the required documentation to licensing staff.

Details and documents All motions and committee recommendations were taken from the board's August meeting materials and committee reports. Where committee motions specified course hours and providers, those conditions were recorded verbatim in the committee motions that were advanced to the board.

Ending The board closed the meeting after approving these items and several administrative and committee reports. Staff noted additional informal conferences and enforcement hearing scheduling will be coordinated with board members in coming weeks.