LRB-0451/2
MDK:kmg:ch
1997 - 1998 LEGISLATURE
December 11, 1997 - Introduced by Representative Otte, by request of Examining
Board of Architects, Landscape Architects, Professional Geologists,
Professional Engineers, Designers and Land Surveyors. Referred to
Committee on Consumer Affairs.
AB655,1,6 1An Act to repeal 443.03 (2) and 443.07 (1) (b); to renumber and amend 443.03
2(1) (b) 1. and 443.03 (1) (b) 2.; to consolidate, renumber and amend 443.03
3(1) (intro.) and (a) and 443.07 (1) (intro.) and (a); and to amend 443.07 (2),
4443.07 (3), 443.07 (5) and 443.09 (5) of the statutes; relating to: qualifications
5for registration as an architect or landscape architect and qualifications for a
6permit as a designer of engineering systems.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill makes various changes in the qualifications that a person must satisfy
to be registered by the examining board of architects, landscape architects,
professional geologists, professional engineers, designers and land surveyors
(examining board) as an architect or landscape architect or to receive a permit as a
designer of engineering systems. The bill includes the following changes:
Qualifications for registration as an architect
Under current law, an applicant for registration as an architect must have
either: 1) a diploma of graduation or a certificate from an approved architectural
school or college and at least 2 years of practical experience in the design and
construction of buildings; or 2) 7 or more years of experience in architectural work.
This bill changes the first alternative by requiring at least 3 years of practical
experience in the design and construction of buildings and the 2nd alternative by
requiring at least 13 years of experience in architectural work.

Under current law, the examining board uses specified equivalencies between
schooling and experience to determine the number of years of experience in
architectural work to which an applicant's education is equivalent. The bill
eliminates the specific equivalencies between schooling and experience and instead
requires the examining board to determine, for purposes of the 2nd alternative, the
amount of experience to which any postsecondary education of an applicant is
equivalent. The examining board must then reduce the 13 or more years of
experience required by the amount of experience to which the applicant's education
is equivalent.
Qualifications for registration as a landscape architect
Under current law, an applicant for registration as a landscape architect must
pass a written examination or written and oral examinations. This bill requires the
examination or examinations to include questions designed to demonstrate
knowledge of the design needs of people with physical disabilities and of relevant
statutes and codes.
Qualifications for a permit as a designer of engineering systems
Under current law, permits granted by the examining board to designers of
engineering systems are limited to designated fields and subfields of technology.
This bill eliminates the reference to "subfields" and allows the examining board to
designate fields of technology only.
Under current law, an applicant for a permit as a designer of engineering
systems must have one of the following: 1) 8 or more years of experience in
specialized engineering design work and satisfactory completion of a written
examination in the relevant field; or 2) if the applicant is at least 35 years old, 12 or
more years of experience in the relevant field. In addition, any academic training in
engineering technology or participation in an approved apprenticeship program may
be considered the equivalent of not more than 4 years of experience. Graduation from
a course in a subject other than engineering technology is counted as the equivalent
of 2 years of experience.
This bill eliminates the 2nd alternative and changes the first alternative by
decreasing from 8 years to 6 years the number of required years of experience. With
respect to an applicant who has graduated from a course in a subject other than
engineering technology, the examining board may (but is not required to) count that
course work as the equivalent of not more than 3 years of experience.
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:
AB655, s. 1 1Section 1. 443.03 (1) (intro.) and (a) of the statutes are consolidated,
2renumbered 443.03 (intro.) and amended to read:
AB655,3,5
1443.03 Registration requirements for architects. (intro.) An applicant
2for registration as an architect shall submit satisfactory evidence to the examining
3board: (a) That that he or she has acquired a thorough knowledge of sound
4construction, building hygiene, architectural design and mathematics ; and has one
5of the following:
AB655, s. 2 6Section 2. 443.03 (1) (b) 1. of the statutes is renumbered 443.03 (1) and
7amended to read:
AB655,3,118 443.03 (1) A diploma of graduation, or a certificate, from an architectural
9school or college approved by the examining board as of satisfactory standing,
10together with at least 2 3 years' practical experience of a character satisfactory to the
11examining board in the design and construction of buildings; or.
AB655, s. 3 12Section 3. 443.03 (1) (b) 2. of the statutes is renumbered 443.03 (1m) and
13amended to read:
AB655,3,1914 443.03 (1m) A specific record of 7 or more at least 13 years of experience in
15architectural work of a character satisfactory to the examining board in the design
16and construction of buildings. If an applicant under this subsection has completed
17any postsecondary education, the examining board shall determine the amount of
18experience to which the applicant's education is equivalent and shall reduce the
19years of experience required under this subsection by this amount
.
AB655, s. 4 20Section 4. 443.03 (2) of the statutes is repealed.
AB655, s. 5 21Section 5. 443.07 (1) (intro.) and (a) of the statutes are consolidated,
22renumbered 443.07 (1) and amended to read:
AB655,4,323 443.07 (1) An applicant for a permit as a designer shall submit evidence
24satisfactory to the board indicating that he or she is competent to be in charge of such
25work as follows: (a) A
has a specific record of 8 6 years or more of experience in

1specialized engineering design work and the satisfactory completion of shall pass a
2written examination in the field or branch, as determined by the board, in which
3certification is sought; or.
AB655, s. 6 4Section 6. 443.07 (1) (b) of the statutes is repealed.
AB655, s. 7 5Section 7. 443.07 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB655,4,116 443.07 (2) Completion of technological academic training or apprenticeship
7program approved by the board may be considered equivalent to experience, but
8should not exceed a total of 4 years. The successful completion of each year of
9academic work without graduation shall be equivalent to one year of experience.
10Graduation from a course other than engineering technology shall may not be
11equivalent to 2 more than 3 years of experience under this subsection.
AB655, s. 8 12Section 8. 443.07 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB655,4,1913 443.07 (3) Permits shall be granted, designated and limited to the fields and
14subfields
of technology as are determined by the examining board and recognized in
15engineering design practice. Any person holding a permit may prepare plans and
16specifications and perform consultation, investigation and evaluation in connection
17with the making of plans and specifications, within the scope of the permit,
18notwithstanding that such activity constitutes the practice of architecture or
19professional engineering under this chapter.
AB655, s. 9 20Section 9. 443.07 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB655,4,2521 443.07 (5) The permit shall, on its face, restrict the holder thereof to the specific
22field and subfields of designing in which the permittee acquired his or her experience
23in designing. If qualified in more than one type of designing, persons may receive
24permits for more than one field or subfield of designing as may be determined by the
25examining board.
AB655, s. 10
1Section 10. 443.09 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB655,5,212 443.09 (5) Written or written and oral examinations shall be held at such time
3and place as the examining board determines. The scope of the examinations and
4the methods of procedure shall be prescribed by the examining board with special
5reference to the applicant's ability to design and supervise architectural, landscape
6architectural, geological or engineering work, which shall promote the public welfare
7and ensure the safety of life, health and property. The architect , landscape architect
8and professional engineering examination or examinations shall include questions
9which require applicants to demonstrate knowledge of the design needs of people
10with physical disabilities and of the relevant statutes and codes. Such questions
11shall be developed by the examining board in consultation with the department of
12commerce. The examination for candidates under s. 443.04 (1) (c) shall be the
13principles and practice examination which requires the applicant to demonstrate the
14ability to apply engineering principles and judgment to problems in general
15engineering disciplines and to demonstrate knowledge of the design needs of people
16with physical disabilities and the relevant statutes, rules and regulations. A
17candidate failing an examination may, upon application and payment of the required
18reexamination fee, be examined again by the examining board. No restrictions may
19be placed on the number of times an unsuccessful candidate may be reexamined,
20except that after failure of 3 reexaminations, the examining board may require a
21one-year waiting period before further reexamination.
AB655, s. 11 22Section 11. Initial applicability.
AB655,6,223 (1) This act first applies to applications for a credential submitted to the
24examining board of architects, landscape architects, professional geologists,

1professional engineers, designers and land surveyors on the effective date of this
2subsection.
AB655,6,33 (End)
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