Report to the 86th Legislature: Sunset Advisory Commission Page: 27
88 p.View a full description of this report.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Sunset Advisory Commission
TEXAS BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL
GEOSCIENTISTSMorgan Constantino, Project Manager
Summary
The practice of geoscience was unregulated in Texas until the Legislature created
the standalone Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists 17 years ago. The board-
licenses about 4,500 geoscientists and geoscience firms. Although Sunset staff
found state regulation of geoscientists provides no measureable public benefit
and recommended abolishing the board and repealing the Texas
Geoscience Practice Act, the Sunset Commission considered
other organizational alternatives to maintain regulation of The boc
geoscientists in Texas, including consolidating the board its enfor
with the Texas Board of Professional Engineers, a profession corpla
that frequently interacts with geoscientists. Ultimately, the
commission recommends continuing the current standalone
board and regulation of geoscientists for six more years, with the pub
a shortened Sunset date of September 1, 2025, which aligns administ
with the Texas Board of Professional Engineers' Sunset review.Ord should focus
cement efforts on
ints that present
risk or harm to
lic, not low-risk,
rative violations.The commission's other recommendations aim to improve the effectiveness and
efficiency of the board's operations by applying occupational licensing model
standards and best practices; removing unnecessary barriers into the geoscience
profession; and refocusing the board's enforcement efforts on complaints that
present an actual risk of harm to the public instead of low-risk, administrative
violations.
Recommendations
Continue
* Continue the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists and the Texas Geoscience Practice Act for
six years.
Governance
* Apply the Sunset across-the-board recommendations related to presiding officer designation, board
member training, complaint information, and alternative dispute resolution.
Enforcement
* Increase the board's maximum administrative penalty amount from $100 to $1,500 per day for each
violation.
Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists
Report to the 86th Legislature27
February 2019
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This report can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Report.
Texas. Sunset Advisory Commission. Report to the 86th Legislature: Sunset Advisory Commission, report, February 2019; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1364727/m1/39/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.