BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                     AB 320


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          Date of Hearing:  May 6, 2015


                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS


                                 Jimmy Gomez, Chair


          AB  
          320 (Wood) - As Amended April 23, 2015


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          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


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          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


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          319-2081