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Engineers’ group backs narrow carve-out to restore Missouri standards; opponents warn of barriers
Summary
Representative Mark Nolte’s House Bill 18-13 would let the PR board limit reciprocity for architects, engineers, surveyors and landscape architects to jurisdictions with substantially similar qualifications; Missouri Society of Professional Engineers cited data it says shows many reciprocity licenses did not meet state standards, while opponents warned of reduced mobility and competition.
Representative Mark Nolte presented House Bill 18-13 as a targeted fix to what sponsors described as an unintended consequence of the 2020 universal reciprocity law. Nolte said the language would allow the board that licenses architects, professional engineers, land surveyors and landscape architects to require applicants from other jurisdictions to meet Missouri-equivalent qualifications.
Travis Lowe, executive director of the Missouri Society of Professional Engineers, testified in favor and presented data he said showed the board had licensed "up to 495 different folks" since 2020 who "do not meet our Missouri qualifications," and that about 85% of those did not live in Missouri. Lowe said the proposed language is prospective and not intended to remove licenses already issued.
Opponents, including James Harris (FGA Action), argued the change risks making it harder for firms to use out-of-state talent and could limit competition. Committee members pressed both sides for clarity about whether the bill would expand or contract jurisdictions covered; Wes Sutton of the Missouri Division of Professional Registration explained the division’s criteria for judging whether an out-of-jurisdiction standard is substantially similar to Missouri's and said implementation was feasible.
The transcript records extensive questioning but no committee vote on HB 18-13 during this session.
