SB 12
Department of Legislative Services
Maryland General Assembly
2020 Session
FISCAL AND POLICY NOTE
Third Reader - Revised
Senate Bill 12 (Chair, Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
Committee)(By Request - Departmental - Labor)
Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Economic Matters
Professional Engineers – Qualifications for Licensure – Experience Requirement
This departmental bill modifies the work experience requirement for the nonacademic
licensure option for professional engineers. Specifically, the requirement that 5 of the
12 years of work experience be while the individual is in “responsible charge” is repealed.
The overall work experience requirement of 12 years is unchanged.
Fiscal Summary
State Effect: None. The bill does not substantively alter the number of individuals
anticipated to be licensed as professional engineers.
Local Effect: None.
Small Business Effect: The Maryland Department of Labor (MDL) has determined that
this bill has minimal or no impact on small business (attached). The Department of
Legislative Services concurs with this assessment. (The attached assessment does not
reflect amendments to the bill.)
Analysis
Current Law/Background: The State Board for Professional Engineers in MDL licenses
and regulates professional engineers. In addition to other requirements, an individual may
qualify for licensure as a professional engineer by meeting one of three combinations of
educational and experience requirements. Each of the three options requires a specified
amount of work experience in engineering that is satisfactory to the board, depending on
the level of educational attainment. Generally, the work experience requirement is either
4, 8, or 12 years, with progressively more work experience required as educational
attainment decreases. For the nonacademic option, the applicant must have been in
responsible charge for 5 of the required 12 years of work experience. “Responsible charge”
means direct control and personal supervision of engineering that requires initiative,
professional skill, and independent judgment, and includes responsible engineering
teaching.
MDL advises that removing the “responsible charge” requirement under the nonacademic
licensing option avoids a situation where an unlicensed individual, in order to obtain a
license, must act in violation of statute by supervising individuals practicing engineering.
Additional Information
Prior Introductions: None.
Designated Cross File: None.
Information Source(s): Maryland Department of Labor; Department of Legislative
Services
Fiscal Note History: First Reader - January 8, 2020
rh/mcr Third Reader - March 15, 2020
Revised - Amendment(s) - March 15, 2020
Analysis by: Stephen M. Ross Direct Inquiries to:
(410) 946-5510
(301) 970-5510
SB 12/ Page 2
 ANALYSIS OF ECONOMIC IMPACT ON SMALL BUSINESSES
TITLE OF BILL: Business Occupations and Professions – Professional Engineers –
Experience
BILL NUMBER: SB 12
PREPARED BY: Joseph H. Cullingford
PART A. ECONOMIC IMPACT RATING
This agency estimates that the proposed bill:
X_ WILL HAVE MINIMAL OR NO ECONOMIC IMPACT ON MARYLAND SMALL
BUSINESS
OR
WILL HAVE MEANINGFUL ECONOMIC IMPACT ON MARYLAND SMALL
BUSINESSES
PART B. ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSIS
N/A
SB 12/ Page 3


Statutes affected:
Text - First - Professional Engineers - Qualifications for Licensure - Experience Requirements: 14-305 Business Occupations and Professions
Text - Third - Professional Engineers – Qualifications for Licensure – Experience Requirement: 14-305 Business Occupations and Professions