Assembly bill would lower experience threshold for waiving fundamentals exams for engineers and modernize surveying rules; board and sponsor support change

Assemblymember Gregory Hafen II presented Assembly Bill 270 to the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee on March 5. The bill would revise licensing provisions for professional engineers and land surveyors.

Sponsor remarks and board presentation: Hafen said the Nevada Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors recommends two types of changes: reduce the statutorily required waiting period to qualify to waive the Fundamentals of Engineering or Fundamentals of Surveying examinations and remove obsolete administrative language that no longer applies to modern, computer-based testing.

The board—s executive director, Mark Fackler, told the committee the board regulates more than 22,000 licensees (about 16,000 of whom are actively practicing in Nevada) across multiple engineering disciplines and land surveying, and that the national test vendor (NCEES) provides computerized testing at testing centers. The sponsor said an amendment uploaded to the legislative system would revise the proposed experience reduction from 8 years to 10 years.

Support and opposition: No organized business or industry supporters appeared against the bill. A caller representing the Las Vegas City Employees Association testified in opposition, saying the change would "water down" the profession and risk unqualified candidates obtaining licensure.

No committee vote was recorded at the hearing. Hafen said he appreciated the board—s input and the amendment under consideration. The committee did not take final action on AB 270 at the hearing.