61G16-5.004: Application Evaluations
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The Board proposes the substantial rewrite of the rule to delete unnecessary language and to add language clarifying application evaluations.
SUMMARY: The substantial rewrite of the rule will delete unnecessary language and to add language clarifying application evaluations.
SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS: No Statement of Estimated Regulatory Cost was prepared.
Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.
SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: 492.104, 492.105 FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 492.105 FS.
IF REQUESTED WITHIN 21 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE, A HEARING WILL BE SCHEDULED AND ANNOUNCED IN FAW.
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Rick Morrison, Executive Director, Board of Professional Geologists, 1940 North Monroe Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0764
THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:
(Substantial rewording of Rule 61G16-5.004 follows: See Florida Administrative Code for present text.)
61G16-5.004 Application Evaluations.
(1) The determination of qualification for examination is a complex and subjective matter, therefore the Board has established the following guidelines which are generally applicable absent extraordinary evidence and documentation supporting a departure therefrom.
(2) In order to meet the prerequisites for examination for licensure as a professional geologist in
(a) A list of those related sciences previously determined to be acceptable is found in Rule 61G16-5.001, F.A.C.
(b) The applicant must also demonstrate satisfactory completion of a minimum of 30 semester hours of geological courses, 24 of those hours must be at the third or fourth year level or graduate level. A list of courses previously determined to be acceptable is found at Rule 61G16-5.002, F.A.C. No examination authorization will be granted anyone without documentation of having successfully passed these courses or their substantial equivalent. A degree in a related science without meeting these curricular requirements is insufficient to qualify one for examination for licensure.
(3) In addition, the Board has determined that an applicant is required to have at least seven (7) years of professional geological work experience.
(a) Geological experience obtained prior to meeting the educational requirements in subsection (2), above, is usually of a subprofessional nature. Such experience, if deemed acceptable and properly verified shall be awarded experience credit at 25% of the actual time spent. If the experience is obtained after the completion of 15 semester hours of geological courses, experience credit shall be awarded at up to 50% of actual time spent. In no event shall the total geological experience credit allowable prior to meeting the educational requirements in subsection (2), above, exceed 12 months.
(b) Experience must be progressive on geologic projects to indicate that it is of increasing quality and requiring greater responsibility.
(c) Two (2) years of experience are credited from the completion of the course work described in subsections (2), above, and
(d) The other five (5) years of experience should logically follow and constitute the application of the geologic education previously obtained.
(e) Experience should be gained under the supervision of a Professional Geologists, Professional Engineer qualified by education and experience to do the work being supervised, or “qualified geologists” as that term is defined in Section 492.102(5),
(f) No experience acquired while employed by and enrolled as a student in a college or university shall be counted unless it is demonstrated to the Board that the experience constituted responsible charge of geologic work. Teaching experience, to be creditable, must be in an accredited college or university and in the geological sciences.
(g) Full time: Geological work experience credit shall be granted on a month-for-month basis for those periods in which the applicant was engaged in responsible charge of geological work on a 40 hour per week, full time basis. Teaching 9 credit hours/semester, or the equivalent, of geological courses is considered full time.
(h) Part time: Periods in which the applicant was engaged in responsible charge of geological work on a part-time basis shall be credited toward the geological work experience requirements based on the percentage of full-time worked, provided the work is otherwise creditable.
Specific Authority 492.104, 492.105 FS. Law Implemented 492.105 FS. History–New 12-8-98, Amended 4-13-99,___________.