BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 320 Page 1 Date of Hearing: May 6, 2015 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Jimmy Gomez, Chair AB 320 (Wood) - As Amended April 23, 2015 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Policy |Business and Professions |Vote:|14 - 0 | |Committee: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------------+-------------------------------+-----+-------------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable: No SUMMARY: This bill adds the title "environmental engineer" to the list of professional engineers given Title Act protection and prevents a person from using that title unless licensed by the Board for AB 320 Page 2 Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists (BPELSG). The bill also authorizes a professional engineer licensed as a civil, electrical, or mechanical engineer to use the title "environmental engineer" without obtaining additional qualifications. FISCAL EFFECT: One-time costs in the range of $60,000 to $150,000 to BPELSG (special funds) to perform an occupational analysis. Actual costs will depend on whether the study is performed through the Department of Consumer Affairs' Office of Examination Services or through a private vendor. COMMENTS: 1)Purpose. According to the author, "With the proliferation of the teaching and practice of environmental engineering, it is necessary to recognize and regulate environmental engineers with their own title act since the profession is currently not listed under the Business and Professions Code. Currently, an environmental engineer is licensed as a civil, electrical, or mechanical engineer and uses the principles of engineering, soil science, biology, and chemistry to develop solutions to address environmental problems. AB 320 would create an environmental engineer title act that would license and regulate environmental engineers. The profession is involved in efforts to improve recycling, waste disposal, public health, and water and air pollution control that would ensure the safety of the public." Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916) AB 320 Page 3 319-2081