New York
legislation regulating the professional practice of geology has been ongoing now in New York for 11 years and it continues to be active in the New York legislature. Legislation was re-introduced earlier this year in the Senate on April 1, 2007. The Senate version (S 5307) was passed unanimously out of that house and was delivered to the Assembly (A 8844) where it was again referred to the Assembly’s Higher Education Committee, where it again failed to be passed out of committee.
The proponents of the legislation employed the services of a lobbying firm approximately a year ago to help them with this legislative effort. The legislation has or will be re-introduced again in the Senate during the 2008 legislative session — and it will be fast tracked in the Assembly (apparently in New York concurrent introduction in both houses is not permitted).
It is of importance to note that language that the DPA had voiced concern about and that had been contained in previous versions of this legislation have been removed. This legislation however does not provide for the exemption of petroleum geoscientists and it appears that the proponents of this legislation do not appear willing to add that exemption language.
We will continue to monitor the progress of this pending legislation.
Michigan
Geologic licensure/registration was initially proposed in Michigan in June, 2004. Past versions of legislation proposed in Michigan included language that allowed for the practice of geology by landscape architects. The current Michigan legislation continues to include that provision, i.e. the practice of geology by landscape architects (incidental to landscape architecture). Further, and most importantly, this legislation does not provide for the exemption of petroleum geologists. This committee does not support this legislation because of the inclusion of the practice of geology by those (landscape architects) who have little or no education and/or training in the geosciences and because there is no provision for the exemption of those geoscientists involved in oil and gas exploration and development. Please see the attached a copy of the pending legislation.
We will continue to monitor the progress of this pending legislation.
Oklahoma
The Oklahoma Professional Geologists Practices Act, was first introduced during the 2005 legislative session. The bill failed passage and was not re-introduced during the 2006 or 2007 legislative sessions. Proponents who have been contacted by this committee have indicated that the bill will likely be re-written and re-introduced during a subsequent session of the state legislature. It is currently anticipated that legislation will not be re-introduced until the 2009 session. As currently written the legislation exempts petroleum geologists and other resource geologists and it is fully expected that the exemption for petroleum geologists will remain in any subsequent drafts of this legislation in the future. The original bill was previously endorsed and a memorandum of support was provided by the DPA/AAPG.
We will continue to monitor legislative activity in Oklahoma and report on it when it is reintroduced.
Louisiana
No activity to report. We will continue to monitor and if any activity is initiated in Louisiana we will provide an update at that time.
- Note:
- Please also see in addition to the attached legislative bills, a one page summary of the various aspects/requirements of the states with geologic licensure/registration (provided with permission from the National Association of State Boards of Geology, October, 2007).
Additional Information
For additional information you are referred to PDFS of
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