HB580 Alabama 2017 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Alan Boothe

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2017

Title

State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, renamed State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers, State Board of Licensure for Professional Land Surveyors, created, transmitting licensing, transfer of funds provided, Secs. 34-44-1 to 34-44-15, inclusive, 34-44-30 to 34-44-38, inclusive, added; Secs. 34-11-1 to 34-11-9, inclusive, 34-11-11, 34-11-14, 34-11-15, 34-11-16, 34-11-30, 34-11-31, 34-11-35, 34-11-36 am'd.

Summary

HB580 splits Alabama’s licensing board into two bodies by creating a separate State Board of Licensure for Professional Land Surveyors and renaming the existing board for engineers.

What This Bill Does

It creates the State Board of Licensure for Professional Land Surveyors and moves licensing/regulation of land surveyors from the current combined board to the new one, while the current board becomes the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers. It transfers land surveying property, records, licenses, and related information to the new land surveying board and divides the existing Engineers and Land Surveyors Fund into two separate funds. It also establishes the land surveying board’s structure, standards, and processes, and subjects the new board to the Alabama Sunset Law with a termination date of October 1, 2019 (and four-year renewal cycles thereafter) unless continued.

Who It Affects

• Land surveyors and land surveying firms in Alabama, whose licenses, records, and regulation would move to the new State Board of Licensure for Professional Land Surveyors and who must operate under the new board’s rules (including requirements like resident licensure in charge for offices).
• Professional engineers and engineering firms, whose licensing authority remains with the renamed State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and whose funds and governance are reorganized to reflect the split from land surveying.

Key Provisions

• Provision 1: Creates the State Board of Licensure for Professional Land Surveyors and transfers licensing/regulation of land surveying from the existing combined board to the new board; renames the existing board as the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers.
• Provision 2: Establishes a separate governance and funding framework for land surveying, including creation of the Professional Land Surveyors Fund, transfer of funds from the old combined fund to two separate funds, and formation of a five-member Land Surveyors Board appointed by the Governor (with diversity goals) under Chapter 44, plus application of the Sunset Law with a 2019 termination date and ongoing renewal requirements.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Engineers and Land Surveyors, State Board of Licensure for Professional