2007 - 2008 LEGISLATURE
February 13, 2007 - Introduced by Representatives Gottlieb, Kerkman, A. Ott and
Townsend, cosponsored by Senator Plale. Referred to Committee on Labor
and Industry.
AB69,1,4 1An Act to repeal 443.04 (1) (c), 443.04 (1) (d), 443.04 (2) and 443.09 (6); to
2renumber and amend
443.04 (1) (intro.), 443.04 (1) (a) and 443.04 (1) (b); and
3to amend 443.09 (4) and 443.09 (5) of the statutes; relating to: registration
4requirements for professional engineers.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Generally, under current law, no person may practice professional engineering
in this state or convey the impression that the person is a professional engineer
unless the person is registered with the Examining Board of Architects, Landscape
Architects, Professional Engineers, Designers, and Land Surveyors (examining
board). Currently, an applicant for registration as a professional engineer must
submit satisfactory evidence of one of the following: 1) graduation from an
engineering course of not less than four years plus a record of four or more years of
experience indicating the applicant is competent to be placed in charge of
engineering work; 2) a record of eight or more years of experience indicating the
applicant is competent to be placed in charge of engineering work; 3) a record of 12
or more years of experience indicating the applicant is competent to practice
engineering; or 4) graduation from an engineering course of not less than four years
and eight years of experience indicating the applicant is competent to practice
engineering. Current law provides that graduation from an engineering course at
a school approved by the examining board is equivalent to four years of experience,
that each year of engineering study completed at such a school is equivalent to one

year of experience, and that graduation from an engineering course at a school not
approved by the examining board is equivalent to two years of experience.
Under this bill, an applicant for registration as a professional engineer must
submit satisfactory evidence of graduation from an approved engineering course of
not less than four years and a record of four or more years of experience indicating
the applicant is competent to be placed in charge of engineering work.
Currently, an applicant may not be registered as a professional engineer unless
the applicant passes an examination that includes questions on the design needs of
people with physical disabilities and the relevant statutes and codes, except that an
applicant who applies on the basis of graduation from an engineering course of not
less than four years and eight years of experience is not required to pass an
examination. Under the bill, all applicants are required to pass an examination, but
the examination is not required to include questions on the design needs of people
with disabilities or the relevant statutes or codes.
Current law requires the examining board to make an applicant's examination
papers available to the applicant for review for one year after the examination. Also
under current law, an applicant may request a review of the applicant's examination,
and the examining board must provide the reasons for a failing grade. The bill
deletes the retention and review requirements.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB69, s. 1 1Section 1. 443.04 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is renumbered 443.04 (intro.) and
2amended to read:
AB69,2,5 3443.04 Registration requirements for professional engineers. (intro.)
4An applicant for registration as a professional engineer shall submit satisfactory
5evidence to the examining board of one all of the following:
AB69, s. 2 6Section 2. 443.04 (1) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 443.04 (1m) and
7amended to read:
AB69,3,28 443.04 (1m) A diploma of graduation, or a certificate, from an engineering
9school or college approved by the examining board as of satisfactory standing in an
10engineering course of not less than 4 years, together with an additional 4 years of
11experience in engineering work of a character satisfactory to the examining board

1and indicating that the applicant is competent to be placed in responsible charge of
2engineering work
.
AB69, s. 3 3Section 3. 443.04 (1) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 443.04 (2m) and
4amended to read:
AB69,3,75 443.04 (2m) A specific record of 8 4 or more years of experience in engineering
6work of a character satisfactory to the examining board and indicating that the
7applicant is competent to be placed in responsible charge of engineering work.
AB69, s. 4 8Section 4. 443.04 (1) (c) of the statutes is repealed.
AB69, s. 5 9Section 5. 443.04 (1) (d) of the statutes is repealed.
AB69, s. 6 10Section 6. 443.04 (2) of the statutes is repealed.
AB69, s. 7 11Section 7. 443.09 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB69,3,2012 443.09 (4) Written or written and oral examinations shall be required of every
13applicant for registration as an architect or a professional engineer except an
14applicant who satisfies s. 443.04 (1) (d)
. Except as provided in sub. (5), only one form
15of examination may be required for all applicants. The examination shall be
16reasonably related to the skills likely to be needed by an applicant practicing the
17profession at the time of examination and seek to determine the applicant's
18preparedness to exercise such skills. Failure to pass an examination under this
19section or under any order of the examining board shall not be a bar to registration
20under s. 443.04 (1) (d).
AB69, s. 8 21Section 8. 443.09 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB69,4,1622 443.09 (5) Written or written and oral examinations shall be held at such time
23and place as the examining board determines. The scope of the examinations and
24the methods of procedure shall be prescribed by the examining board with special
25reference to the applicant's ability to design and supervise architectural, landscape

1architectural, or engineering work, which shall promote the public welfare and
2ensure the safety of life, health, and property. The architect and professional
3engineering examination or examinations shall include questions which require
4applicants to demonstrate knowledge of the design needs of people with physical
5disabilities and of the relevant statutes and codes. Such questions shall be developed
6by the examining board in consultation with the department of commerce. The
7examination for candidates under s. 443.04 (1) (c) shall be the principles and practice
8examination which requires the applicant to demonstrate the ability to apply
9engineering principles and judgment to problems in general engineering disciplines
10and to demonstrate knowledge of the design needs of people with physical disabilities
11and the relevant statutes, rules and regulations.
A candidate failing an examination
12may, upon application and payment of the required reexamination fee, be examined
13again by the examining board. No restrictions may be placed on the number of times
14an unsuccessful candidate may be reexamined, except that after failure of 3
15reexaminations, the examining board may require a one-year waiting period before
16further reexamination.
AB69, s. 9 17Section 9. 443.09 (6) of the statutes is repealed.
AB69, s. 10 18Section 10. Initial applicability.
AB69,4,2019 (1) This act first applies to applications for registration as a professional
20engineer that are filed on the effective date of this subsection.
AB69,4,2121 (End)
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