January 29, 1997 - Introduced by Senators Welch, Rude and A. Lasee,
cosponsored by Representatives Freese, Seratti, Goetsch, Ainsworth,
Powers, Ward, Vrakas
and Olsen. Referred to Committee on Economic
Development, Housing and Government Operations.
SB44,1,12 1An Act to renumber and amend 443.01 (4) and 443.02 (4) (a); to amend 15.405
2(2) (intro.), (a) and (b), 30.11 (3), 30.13 (3) (a), 59.20 (2), 59.43 (8), 59.74 (2) (b)
31., 59.74 (2) (h), 60.84 (1), 157.07 (1), 236.15 (2), 236.34 (1) (a), 440.08 (2) (a) 39.,
4chapter 443 (title), 443.01 (3), 443.06 (title), 443.06 (1) (a), 443.06 (1) (b), 443.06
5(2) (intro.), 443.06 (2) (a), 443.06 (2) (am), 443.06 (2) (b), 443.06 (2) (bm), 443.06
6(2) (c), 443.06 (2) (cm), 443.06 (2) (d), 443.06 (2) (e), 443.06 (2) (em), 443.06 (3),
7443.10 (2) (b), 443.10 (5), 443.12 (title), 443.12 (1), 443.12 (3), 443.14 (8) (a),
8443.14 (8) (b), 443.14 (8) (c), 443.14 (8) (d), 443.14 (9), 443.14 (11), 443.18 (2) (b),
9703.11 (2) (b), 703.11 (4), 703.13 (6) (e), 703.13 (7) (c) and 707.215 (5) (intro.); and
10to create 443.01 (1g), 443.01 (1r), 443.01 (3b), 443.01 (6s) (a) and (b), 443.01 (6s)
11(d) 3. and 4., 443.01 (6s) (f) to (h) and 443.01 (7m) of the statutes; relating to:
12professional land surveyors and the practice of professional land surveying.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, with certain exceptions, a person may not practice land
surveying or represent that he or she is a land surveyor unless the land surveyor

section (section) of the examining board of architects, landscape architects,
professional geologists, professional engineers, designers and land surveyors (board)
has issued a certificate of registration or permit to the person. "Land surveying" is
defined as determining the location of land boundaries and boundary corners;
preparing maps that show the shape and area of tracts of land or subdivisions or the
layout of roads, streets or rights-of-way; or preparing official plats or maps of land
in this state.
This bill replaces "land surveying" with the term "practice of professional land
surveying" and defines the term as any of the following:
1. Establishing, restoring or perpetuating private or public land boundaries
and boundary corners.
2. Preparing maps that show any of the following: a) the shape and area of
tracts of land or the subdivision or consolidation of tracts; b) the layout and
rights-of-way of roads or streets; c) air, water or property rights; or d) public or
private easements.
3. Preparing assessors' or official plats or maps of lands in this state.
4. Measuring and analyzing a tract of land to determine its boundaries or to
describe it for conveyance.
5. Designing or coordinating designs for platting or subdividing tracts of land.
6. Applying knowledge or experience about land surveying to the development,
use or management of geographic or land information systems.
7. Performing cartographic, construction or geodetic surveying in connection
with any of the practices described in the above items.
8. Providing consultation services related to any of the practices described in
the above items.
The bill also prohibits, with certain exceptions, a person from engaging in the
practice of professional land surveying or representing that he or she is a
professional land surveyor unless the person is issued a certificate of registration or
permit by the section. In addition, the bill changes the name of the section to the
professional land surveyor section and changes the name of the board to the
examining board of architects, landscape architects, professional geologists,
professional engineers, designers and professional land surveyors.
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:
SB44, s. 1 1Section 1. 15.405 (2) (intro.), (a) and (b) of the statutes are amended to read:
SB44,3,92 15.405 (2) (title) Examining board of architects, landscape architects,
3professional geologists, professional engineers, designers and
professional land
4surveyors.
(intro.) There is created an examining board of architects, landscape

1architects, professional geologists, professional engineers, designers and
2professional land surveyors in the department of regulation and licensing. Any
3professional member appointed to the examining board shall be registered to
4practice architecture, landscape architecture, professional geology, professional
5engineering, the design of engineering systems or professional land surveying under
6ch. 443. The examining board shall consist of the following members appointed for
74-year terms: 3 architects, 3 landscape architects, 3 professional geologists, 3
8professional engineers, 3 designers, 3 professional land surveyors and 12 public
9members.
SB44,3,1510 (a) In operation, the examining board shall be divided into an architect section,
11a landscape architect section, a geologist section, an engineer section, a designer
12section and a professional land surveyor section. Each section shall consist of the 3
13members of the named profession appointed to the examining board and 2 public
14members appointed to the section. The examining board shall elect its own officers,
15and shall meet at least twice annually.
SB44,3,1916 (b) All matters pertaining to passing upon the qualifications of applicants for
17and the granting or revocation of registration, and all other matters of interest to
18either the architect, landscape architect, geologist, engineer, designer or professional
19land surveyor section shall be acted upon solely by the interested section.
SB44, s. 2 20Section 2. 30.11 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB44,4,721 30.11 (3) How established. Whenever any municipality proposes to establish
22a bulkhead line or to reestablish an existing bulkhead line, the municipality shall
23indicate both the existing shore and the proposed bulkhead line upon a map and shall
24file with the department for its approval 6 copies of the map and 6 copies of the
25ordinance establishing the bulkhead line. The map shall use a scale of not less than

1100 feet to an inch or any other scale required by the department. The map and a
2metes and bounds description of the bulkhead line shall be prepared by a
3professional land surveyor registered in this state. The department may require the
4installation of permanent reference markers to the bulkhead line. Upon approval
5by the department, the municipality shall deliver the map, description and
6ordinance to the office of the register of deeds of the county in which the bulkhead
7line lies, to be recorded by the register of deeds.
SB44, s. 3 8Section 3. 30.13 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB44,4,169 30.13 (3) (a) Any municipality authorized by s. 30.11 to establish a bulkhead
10line may also establish a pierhead line in the same manner as it is authorized to
11establish a bulkhead line, except that a metes and bounds legal description is not
12required nor is the map required to be prepared by a registered professional land
13surveyor and except that if the municipality has created a board of harbor
14commissioners the municipality must obtain the approval of the board concerning
15the establishment of the pierhead line in addition to obtaining the approval of the
16department.
SB44, s. 4 17Section 4. 59.20 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB44,5,1218 59.20 (2) County officers; terms. A county clerk, treasurer, sheriff, coroner,
19clerk of circuit court, register of deeds and surveyor, who shall be a registered
20professional land surveyor, shall be elected in each county for full terms at the
21general election held in each even-numbered year. The regular term of office of each
22such officer shall commence on the first Monday of January next succeeding his or
23her election and shall continue 2 years and until his or her successor qualifies. In
24lieu of electing a surveyor in any county, the board may, by resolution, designate that
25the duties under ss. 59.45 (1) and 59.74 (2) be performed by any registered

1professional land surveyor employed by the county. In any county containing one
2town only, the county board may, by resolution, designate any county office a
3part-time position, combine 2 or more county offices, and, if concurred in by the town
4board, combine the offices of county clerk and town clerk and any other county and
5town offices, provided that the offices combined are not incompatible and the
6combination is not expressly forbidden by law. If the town board so concurs, the
7election may be for the combined office and no separate election for the town office
8shall be held until after the county board has by resolution decided to abandon the
9combination and the town board has concurred by resolution. In counties having a
10population of 500,000 or more, no county coroner or county surveyor may be elected.
11In any county in which a medical examiner system is instituted, no coroner may be
12elected.
SB44, s. 5 13Section 5. 59.43 (8) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB44,5,2114 59.43 (8) Required signature and seal on survey document for filing or
15recording.
It is unlawful for the register of deeds of any county or any proper public
16authority to file or record a map, plat, survey or other document within the definition
17of the practice of professional land surveying under s. 443.01 (6s), which does not
18have impressed thereon, and affixed thereto, the personal signature and seal of a
19registered professional land surveyor under whose responsible charge the map, plat,
20survey or other document was prepared. This subsection does not apply to any deed,
21contract or other recordable document prepared by an attorney.
SB44, s. 6 22Section 6. 59.74 (2) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB44,6,1423 59.74 (2) (b) 1. Whenever it becomes necessary to destroy, remove or cover up
24in such a way that will make it inaccessible for use, any landmark, monument of
25survey, or corner post within the meaning of this subsection, the person including

1employes of governmental agencies who intend to commit such act shall serve
2written notice at least 30 days prior to the act upon the county surveyor of the county
3within which the landmark is located. Notice shall also be served upon the
4municipality's engineer if the landmark is located within the corporate limits of a
5municipality. The notice shall include a description of the landmark, monument of
6survey or corner post and the reason for removing or covering it. In this paragraph,
7removal of a landmark includes the removal of railroad track by the owner of the
8track. In a county having a population of less than 500,000 where there is no county
9surveyor, notice shall be served upon the clerk. In a county with a population of
10500,000 or more where there is no county surveyor, notice shall be served upon the
11executive director of the regional planning commission which acts in the capacity of
12county surveyor for the county. Notwithstanding par. (c), upon receipt of the notice
13the clerk shall appoint a registered professional land surveyor to perform the duties
14of a county surveyor under subd. 2.
SB44, s. 7 15Section 7. 59.74 (2) (h) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB44,7,516 59.74 (2) (h) Any registered professional land surveyor employed by the
17department of transportation or by a county highway department, may, incident to
18employment as such, assume and perform the duties and act in the capacity of the
19county surveyor under this subsection with respect to preservation and perpetuation
20of landmarks, witness monuments and corner posts upon and along state trunk,
21county trunk and town highways. Upon completing a survey and perpetuating
22landmarks and witness monuments under par. (b) 2., a land surveyor employed by
23the state shall file the field notes and records in the district office or main office of
24the department of transportation, and a land surveyor employed by a county shall
25file the field notes and records in the office of the county highway commissioner, open

1to inspection by the public, and in either case a true and correct copy of the field notes
2and records shall be filed with the county surveyor. In a county with a population
3of 500,000 or more where there is no county surveyor, a copy of the field notes and
4records shall also be filed in the office of the regional planning commission which acts
5in the capacity of county surveyor for the county.
SB44, s. 8 6Section 8. 60.84 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB44,7,107 60.84 (1) Survey, contract for. The town board may contract with the county
8surveyor or any registered professional land surveyor to survey all or some of the
9sections in the town and to erect monuments under this section as directed by the
10board.
SB44, s. 9 11Section 9. 157.07 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB44,7,1812 157.07 (1) A cemetery authority shall cause to be surveyed and platted by a
13professional land surveyor registered in this state those portions of the lands that are
14from time to time required for burial, into cemetery lots, drives and walks, and record
15a plat or map of the land in the office of the register of deeds. The plat or map may
16not be recorded unless laid out and platted to the satisfaction of the county board of
17the county, and the town board of the town in which the land is situated, or, if the land
18is situated within a 1st class city, then only by the common council of that city.
SB44, s. 10 19Section 10. 236.15 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB44,7,2320 236.15 (2) Accuracy of survey. The survey shall be performed by a
21professional land surveyor registered in this state and if the error in the latitude and
22departure closure of the survey or any part thereof is greater than the ratio of one
23in 3,000, the plat may be rejected.
SB44, s. 11 24Section 11. 236.34 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB44,8,3
1236.34 (1) (a) The survey shall be performed and the map prepared by a
2professional land surveyor registered in this state. The error in the latitude and
3departure closure of the survey may not exceed the ratio of one in 3,000.
SB44, s. 12 4Section 12. 440.08 (2) (a) 39. of the statutes is amended to read:
SB44,8,65 440.08 (2) (a) 39. Land surveyor, professional: February 1 of each
6even-numbered year; $73.
SB44, s. 13 7Section 13. Chapter 443 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB44,8,138 CHAPTER 443
9 EXAMINING BOARD OF ARCHITECTS,
10 LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, PROFESSIONAL
11 GEOLOGISTS, PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS,
12 DESIGNERS AND professional
13LAND SURVEYORS
SB44, s. 14 14Section 14. 443.01 (1g) of the statutes is created to read:
SB44,8,1815 443.01 (1g) "Cartographic surveying" means collecting topographic,
16hydographic, aerial, anthropologic, forensic, architectural or mining data that
17depicts areas and physical features on, below or above the surface of the earth and
18compiling maps.
SB44, s. 15 19Section 15. 443.01 (1r) of the statutes is created to read:
SB44,8,2320 443.01 (1r) "Construction surveying" means surveying or mapping in support
21of infrastructure design, improvements related to private and public boundary lines,
22construction layout or historic preservation, and establishing any post-construction
23documentation related to such surveying or mapping.
SB44, s. 16 24Section 16. 443.01 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB44,9,3
1443.01 (3) "Examining board" means the examining board of architects,
2landscape architects, professional geologists, professional engineers, designers and
3professional land surveyors.
SB44, s. 17 4Section 17. 443.01 (3b) of the statutes is created to read:
SB44,9,65 443.01 (3b) "Geodetic surveying" means surveying to determine the size and
6shape of the earth or the precise positions of points on the surface of the earth.
SB44, s. 18 7Section 18. 443.01 (4) of the statutes is renumbered 443.01 (6s) (intro.) and
8amended to read:
SB44,9,109 443.01 (6s) (intro.) "Land Practice of professional land surveying" means any
10service comprising the determination of the location of the following:
SB44,9,12 11(c) Establishing, restoring or perpetuating private or public land boundaries
12and land boundary corners; the preparation of.
SB44,9,13 13(d) Preparing maps showing the that depict any of the following:
SB44,9,16 141. The shape and area of tracts of land and their subdivisions into smaller
15tracts; the preparation of maps showing the or the subdivision or consolidation of
16tracts of land.
SB44,9,18 172. The layout and rights-of way of roads, or streets and rights-of-way of same
18to give access to smaller tracts; and the preparation of
.
SB44,9,19 19(e) Preparing assessors' or official plats, or maps, of land in this state.
SB44, s. 19 20Section 19. 443.01 (6s) (a) and (b) of the statutes are created to read:
SB44,9,2221 443.01 (6s) (a) Measuring and analyzing a tract of land to determine its
22boundaries or to describe the tract for the purpose of conveyance.
SB44,9,2423 (b) Designing or coordinating designs for the purpose of platting or subdividing
24land into smaller tracts.
SB44, s. 20 25Section 20. 443.01 (6s) (d) 3. and 4. of the statutes are created to read:
SB44,10,1
1443.01 (6s) (d) 3. Air, water or property rights.
SB44,10,22 4. Public or private easements.
SB44, s. 21 3Section 21. 443.01 (6s) (f) to (h) of the statutes are created to read:
SB44,10,64 443.01 (6s) (f) Applying knowledge or experience about land surveying to the
5development, use or management of geographic or land information systems that
6collect, organize or disseminate data regarding land ownership or land resources.
SB44,10,87 (g) Performing cartographic, construction or geodetic surveying in connection
8with any of the practices specified in pars. (a) to (f).
SB44,10,109 (h) Providing consultation services related to any of the practices specified in
10this subsection.
SB44, s. 22 11Section 22. 443.01 (7m) of the statutes is created to read:
SB44,10,1612 443.01 (7m) "Professional land surveyor" means a person who, by reason of his
13or her knowledge of law, mathematics, physical sciences and measurement
14techniques, acquired by education and practical experience, is issued a certificate of
15registration or granted a permit to engage in the practice of professional land
16surveying under this chapter.
SB44, s. 23 17Section 23. 443.02 (4) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 443.02 (4) and
18amended to read:
SB44,10,2319 443.02 (4) No person may engage or offer to engage in the practice of
20professional
land surveying in this state or use or advertise any title or description
21tending to convey the impression that the person is a professional land surveyor
22unless the person has been issued a certificate of registration or granted a permit to
23practice under this chapter.
SB44, s. 24 24Section 24. 443.06 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB44,11,2
1443.06 (title) Registration requirements for professional land
2surveyors.
SB44, s. 25 3Section 25. 443.06 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB44,11,124 443.06 (1) (a) Application for registration as a professional land surveyor or a
5permit to practice shall be made to the section under oath, on forms prescribed by the
6examining board and provided by the department, which shall require the applicant
7to submit such information as the section deems necessary. The section may require
8applicants to pass written or oral examinations or both. Applicants who do not have
9an arrest or conviction record, subject to ss. 111.321, 111.322 and 111.335, shall be
10entitled to be registered or issued a permit to practice as professional land surveyors
11when satisfactory evidence is submitted that the applicant has met one or more of
12the requirements of sub. (2).
SB44, s. 26 13Section 26. 443.06 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB44,11,2014 443.06 (1) (b) Each year, but not more than 4 years, of work or training
15completed in a curriculum in land surveying approved by the professional land
16surveyor section, or responsible charge of land surveying teaching may be considered
17as equivalent to one year of qualifying experience in land surveying work, and each
18year, but not more than 4 years completed in a curriculum other than land surveying
19approved by the land surveyor section, may be considered as equivalent to one-half
20year of qualifying experience.
SB44, s. 27 21Section 27. 443.06 (2) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB44,11,2522 443.06 (2) Requirements; certificate of registration. (intro.) The section
23may grant a certificate of registration as a professional land surveyor to any person
24who has submitted to it an application, the required fees and one or more of the
25following:
SB44, s. 28
1Section 28. 443.06 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB44,12,92 443.06 (2) (a) A record of completion of a course in land surveying of not less
3than 2 years' duration approved by the professional land surveyor section together
4with 2 years of practice in land surveying work of satisfactory character which
5indicates that the applicant is competent to be placed in responsible charge of such
6work, if the applicant has passed an oral and written or written examination
7administered by the land surveyor section. This paragraph applies to actions of the
8land surveyor section on applications for professional land surveyors' certificates
9that are submitted to the land surveyor section before July 1, 2000.
SB44, s. 29 10Section 29. 443.06 (2) (am) of the statutes is amended to read:
Loading...
Loading...