The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
July 5, 2014
The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) and the Texas Board of Professional Engineers (TBPE) have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in order to implement the requirements of Senate Bill 138. The text can be found at: http://tbpg.state.tx.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Signed-MOA-TBPE.pdf
The TBPG and the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) recently adopted a revised Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), also to implement the requirements of Senate Bill 138. The text can be found at: http://tbpg.state.tx.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/SignedTWDB-TBPG-MOA.pdf
The TBPG is conducting its four-year rule review in 2014. The Board wants to make every effort possible to elicit stakeholder participation in this process. The following proposed amendments have been published in this week’s Texas Register. These proposed rules can be found at: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/archive/July42014/Proposed%20Rules/22.EXAMINING%20BOARDS.html#42, and http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/archive/July42014/Proposed%20Rules/22.EXAMINING%20BOARDS.html#49
The amendments are mostly proposed to improve language, clarify definitions and to make other minor administrative changes. Several sections are also proposed to be deleted because the TBPG is of the opinion that these sections are not necessary for inclusion in TBPG rules. These rules relate to the TBPG's handling of contested cases, and the provisions in these rules are proposed to be relocated and condensed into §851.201 and §851.202. As noted in the section summary for §851.201 and §851.202, the provisions are reorganized to show that TBPG will abide by SOAH's rules and laws as applicable.
Comments on the proposal may be submitted in writing to Charles Horton, Executive Director, Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists, 333 Guadalupe Street, Tower I-530, Austin, Texas 78701 or by mail to P.O. Box 13225, Austin, Texas 78711 or by e-mail to chorton@tbpg.state.tx.us. When e-mailing comments, please indicate "Comments on Proposed Rules" in the e-mail subject line. Please submit comments within 30 days following publication of the proposal in the Texas Register (published July 4, 2014).
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
The Wise Report
7/5/2014