SECTIONS 6710-6726.4 - California Statutes

BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE

SECTION 6710-6726.4

6710. (a) There is in the Department of Consumer Affairs a Board
for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists, which
consists of 15 members.
(b) Any reference in any law or regulation to the Board of
Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, or the
Board for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, is deemed to
refer to the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and
Geologists.
(c) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2012, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2012, deletes or extends
that date. The repeal of this section renders the board subject to
the review required by Division 1.2 (commencing with Section 473).

6710.1. Protection of the public shall be the highest priority for
the Board for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors in exercising
its licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary functions. Whenever the
protection of the public is inconsistent with other interests sought
to be promoted, the protection of the public shall be paramount.

6711. Each member of the board shall be a citizen of the United
States. Five members shall be registered under this chapter. One
member shall be licensed under the Land Surveyors' Act, Chapter 15
(commencing with Section 8700), one member shall be licensed under
the Geologists and Geophysicists Act, Chapter 12.5 (commencing with
Section 7800), and eight shall be public members who are not
registered under this act, licensed under the Geologists and
Geophysicists Act, or licensed under the Land Surveyors' Act. Each
member, except the public members, shall have at least 12 years
active experience and shall be of good standing in his or her
profession. Each member shall be at least 30 years of age, and shall
have been a resident of this state for at least five years
immediately preceding his or her appointment.

6712. (a) All appointments to the board shall be for a term of four
years. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired
term. Each appointment thereafter shall be for a four-year term
expiring on June 30 of the fourth year following the year in which
the previous term expired.
(b) Each member shall hold office until the appointment and
qualification of his or her successor or until one year shall have
elapsed since the expiration of the term for which he or she was
appointed, whichever first occurs. No person shall serve as a member
of the board for more than two consecutive terms.
(c) The Governor shall appoint professional members so that one is
licensed to practice engineering as a civil engineer, one as an
electrical engineer, one as a mechanical engineer, another is
authorized to use the title of structural engineer, and one is a
member of one of the remaining branches of engineering. One of the
professional members licensed under this chapter or under Chapter 15
(commencing with Section 8700) shall be from a local public agency,
and one shall be from a state agency.
(d) The Governor shall appoint six of the public members and the
professional members qualified as provided in Section 6711. The
Senate Committee on Rules and the Speaker of the Assembly shall each
appoint a public member.

6713. The Governor may remove any member of the board for
misconduct, incompetency or neglect of duty.

6714. The board shall appoint an executive officer at a salary to
be fixed and determined by the board with the approval of the
Director of Finance.
This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2012,
and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that
is enacted before January 1, 2012, deletes or extends that date.

6715. The board shall compile and maintain, or may have compiled
and maintained on its behalf, a register of all licensees that
contains information showing the name, address of record, type of
branch license, license number, the date the license was issued, and
the date the license will expire.

6716. (a) The board may adopt rules and regulations consistent with
law and necessary to govern its action. These rules and regulations
shall be adopted in accordance with the provisions of the
Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section
11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).
(b) The board may adopt rules and regulations of professional
conduct that are not inconsistent with state and federal law. The
rules and regulations may include definitions of incompetence and
negligence. Every person who holds a license or certificate issued by
the board pursuant to this chapter shall be governed by these rules
and regulations.
(c) The board shall hold at least two regular meetings each year.
Special meetings shall be held at those times that the board's rules
provide. A majority of the board constitutes a quorum.

6717. The board may, by regulation, define the scope of each branch
of professional engineering other than civil, electrical, and
mechanical engineering for which registration is provided under this
chapter.

6718. Any member of the board may administer oaths and may take
testimony and proofs concerning all matters within the board's
jurisdiction.

6719. The board shall adopt and have an official seal which shall
be affixed to all certificates of registration.

6720. Each member of the board shall receive a per diem and
expenses as provided in Section 103.

6726. The board may establish one or more technical advisory
committees to advise and assist the board with respect to the
following:
(1) Application review and verification for any level of
registration, licensure, authority, or title.
(2) Evaluation and investigation of potential violations of the
act.
(3) Amendment, repeal, adoption, or revision of board rules,
regulations, policies, and procedures.

6726.1. Each member of each technical advisory committee shall be
appointed by the board and shall serve at the pleasure of the board.
Each committee shall be composed of no more than five members.

6726.2. Each member of each technical advisory committee shall be
an expert in the branch of engineering within the committee's
jurisdiction and shall be licensed under this chapter.

6726.3. All the members of each technical advisory committee shall
serve without compensation but shall receive per diem and expenses as
provided in Section 103.

6726.4. Each member of each technical advisory committee shall be
granted the same immunity as is granted to a public employee pursuant
to Article 3 (commencing with Section 820) of Chapter 1 of Part 2 of
Division 3.6 of Title 1 of the Government Code.