Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official page posted by the Hawaii State Legislature, fetched 2026-08-29. Where this bill amends existing law, language marked for deletion in the official page appears here in brackets. This is the first conference draft. The official bill page.
THE SENATE S.B. NO. 2607 THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026 S.D. 1 STATE OF HAWAII H.D. 1 C.D. 1 A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII: SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the State's board of professional engineers, architects, surveyors, and landscape architects (board) previously voted in favor of adopting the Uniform Licensure Standard for Landscape Architecture developed in 2022 by the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards, of which the board is a member. The Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards is a nonprofit organization that works to protect the public's health, safety, and welfare by establishing and promoting professional licensure standards for landscape architects. Its members are the licensure boards across the United States and Canada. The legislature further finds that the board is the entity best suited to determine the eligibility requirements for the licensure of landscape architects in the State and should be authorized to implement standards as it deems appropriate. Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to: (1) Authorize the board of professional engineers, architects, surveyors, and landscape architects to determine the appropriate educational and examination requirements for landscape architect licensure in the State; and (2) Clarify experience requirements for landscape architect licensure. SECTION 2. Section 464-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new definition to be appropriately inserted and to read as follows: ""Board" means the board of professional engineers, architects, surveyors, and landscape architects established in section 464-6." SECTION 3. Section 464-8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows: "§464-8 Qualifications for licensure. (a) No person shall be eligible for licensure as a professional engineer unless: (1) The person is the holder of an unexpired license issued to the person by any jurisdiction, domestic or foreign, in which the requirements for licensure at the time the person was first licensed are of a standard satisfactory to the board; provided that if the board is in doubt as to whether the standards are satisfactory, or as to whether the holder was required to fully comply with them, it shall require that the holder successfully pass a written examination, prescribed by the board and designed to test the holder's knowledge, skill, and competency in the profession of engineering; (2) The person is the holder of a master's degree in engineering from an institution of higher education approved by the board; is a graduate of a school or college approved by the board as of satisfactory standing and has completed an engineering curriculum of four years or more; has had three years of full-time lawful experience in engineering work of a character satisfactory to the board, or part-time experience [which] that the board finds to be the equivalent thereof; and has successfully passed a written examination, prescribed by the board and designed to test the person's knowledge, skill, and competency in the profession of engineering; (3) The person is the holder of a master's degree in engineering from an institution of higher education approved by the board; has had four years of full-time lawful experience in engineering work of a character satisfactory to the board, or part-time experience [which] that the board finds to be the equivalent thereof; and has successfully passed a written examination, prescribed by the board and designed to test the person's knowledge, skill, and competency in the profession of engineering; (4) The person is a graduate of a school or college approved by the board as of satisfactory standing, and has completed an engineering curriculum of four years or more; has had four years of full-time lawful experience in engineering work of a character satisfactory to the board, or part-time experience [which] that the board finds to be the equivalent thereof; and has successfully passed a written examination, prescribed by the board and designed to test the person's knowledge, skill, and competency in the profession of engineering; (5) The person is a graduate of a school or college approved by the board as of satisfactory standing, and has completed an engineering technology or arts and science curriculum of four years or more; has had eight years of full-time lawful experience in engineering work of a character satisfactory to the board, or part-time experience [which] that the board finds to be the equivalent thereof; and has successfully passed a written examination, prescribed by the board and designed to test the person's knowledge, skill, and competency in the profession of engineering; or (6) The person has had twelve years of full-time lawful experience in engineering work of a character satisfactory to the board, or part-time experience [which] that the board finds to be the equivalent thereof; and has successfully passed a written examination, prescribed by the board and designed to test the person's knowledge, skill, and competency in the profession of engineering. (b) No person shall be eligible for licensure as a professional architect unless: (1) The person is the holder of an unexpired license in architecture issued to the person by any jurisdiction, domestic or foreign, and the person meets the requirements of this chapter and the rules of the board; (2) The person is the holder of a bachelor's, master's, or higher degree in architecture from a school or college approved by the board as of satisfactory standing; has had three years of full-time lawful experience in architecture work of a character satisfactory to the board, or part-time experience [which] that the board finds to be the equivalent thereof; and has successfully passed a professional written examination, prescribed by the board and designed to test the person's knowledge, skill, and competency in the profession of architecture; (3) The person is a graduate of a school or college approved by the board as of satisfactory standing and has completed an architectural curriculum of four years or a pre-architecture or arts and science curriculum of four years or more; has had five years of full-time lawful experience in architecture work of a character satisfactory to the board, or part-time experience [which] that the board finds to be the equivalent thereof; and has successfully passed a professional written examination, prescribed by the board and designed to test the person's knowledge, skill, and competency in the profession of architecture; (4) The person is a graduate of a community college or other technical training school approved by the board as of satisfactory standing, and has completed an architectural technology curriculum of two years or more; has had eight years of full-time lawful experience in architecture work of a character satisfactory to the board, or part-time experience [which] that the board finds to be the equivalent thereof; and has successfully passed a professional written examination, prescribed by the board and designed to test the person's knowledge, skill, and competency in the profession of architecture; or (5) The person has had eleven years of full-time lawful experience in architecture work of a character satisfactory to the board, or part-time experience [which] that the board finds to be the equivalent thereof; and has successfully passed a professional written examination, prescribed by the board and designed to test the person's knowledge, skill, and competency in the profession of architecture; provided that those persons who qualify under paragraphs (2) through (5), as of June 30, 2000, shall be required to fulfill the requirements of the intern development program of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards or of any similar program satisfactory to the board, and approved by the board. For paragraph (2), the intern development program shall fulfill the experience requirement. For paragraphs (3), (4), and (5), time participating in the intern development program shall be credited toward the experience requirement. (c) No person shall be eligible for licensure as a professional land surveyor unless: (1) (A) The person is the holder of an unexpired license issued to the person by any jurisdiction, domestic or foreign, in which the requirements for licensure at the time the person was first licensed are of a standard satisfactory to the board; provided that if the board is in doubt as to whether the standards are satisfactory, or as to whether the holder was required to fully comply with them, it shall require that the holder successfully pass the national land surveyor licensing examinations and a written, multiple-choice examination on the subject of Hawaii land matters and Hawaii land description; (B) The person is a graduate of a school or college approved by the board as of satisfactory standing, and has completed a geoscience, civil engineering, or general engineering curriculum of four years or more; has had three years of full-time lawful experience in land surveying of a character satisfactory to the board, or part-time experience [which] that the board finds to be the equivalent thereof; and has successfully passed the national land surveyor licensing examinations and a written, multiple-choice examination on the subject of Hawaii land matters and Hawaii land description; (C) The person is a graduate of a school or college approved by the board as of satisfactory standing, and has completed a civil engineering technology (survey option) curriculum of two years or more or arts and sciences curriculum of four years or more; has had seven years of full-time lawful experience in land surveying of a character satisfactory to the board, or part-time experience [which] that the board finds to be the equivalent thereof; and has successfully passed the national land surveyor licensing examinations and a written, multiple-choice examination on the subject of Hawaii land matters and Hawaii land description; or (D) The person has had eleven years of full-time lawful experience in land surveying of a character satisfactory to the board, or part-time experience [which] that the board finds to be the equivalent thereof; and has successfully passed the national land surveyor licensing examinations and a written, multiple-choice examination on the subject of Hawaii land matters and Hawaii land description; and (2) Any applicant shall certify on the application that the applicant has read, understood, and agrees to comply with the laws and rules that the board determines are required for licensure. (d) No person shall be eligible for licensure as a professional landscape architect unless: (1) The person is the holder of an unexpired license in good standing issued to the person by any jurisdiction[, domestic or foreign, in which the requirements for licensure at the time the person was first licensed are of a standard satisfactory to the board; provided that if the board is in doubt as to whether the standards are satisfactory, or as to whether the holder was required to fully comply with them, it] approved by the board to practice landscape architecture; provided that the board shall require that the holder successfully pass [the national landscape architect licensing examination and] a written examination, prescribed by the board designed to test the holder's knowledge of the State's climatic conditions, native plants and native ecosystems, land use ordinance and special management area requirements, and cultural and historical conditions affecting landscape architecture; (2) The person is the holder of a [master's] degree in landscape architecture from [an institution of higher education approved by the board; is a graduate of] a school or college approved by the board [as of satisfactory standing and has completed a landscape architectural curriculum of four years or more]; has had two years of full-time lawful experience in landscape architecture work of a character satisfactory to the board, or part-time lawful experience [which] that the board finds to be the equivalent thereof; and has successfully passed the national landscape architect licensing examination and a written examination, prescribed by the board designed to test the person's knowledge of the State's climatic conditions, native plants and native ecosystems, land use ordinance and special management area requirements, and cultural and historical conditions affecting landscape architecture; or [(3) The person is a graduate of a school or college approved by the board as of satisfactory standing, and has completed a landscape architectural curriculum of four years or more; has had three years of full-time lawful experience in landscape architecture work of a character satisfactory to the board, or part-time experience which the board finds to be the equivalent thereof; and has successfully passed the national landscape architect licensing examination and a written examination, prescribed by the board designed to test the person's knowledge of the State's climatic conditions, native plants and native ecosystems, land use ordinance and special management area requirements, and cultural and historical conditions affecting landscape architecture; (4) The person is a graduate of a school or college approved by the board as of satisfactory standing, and has completed a pre-landscape architecture or arts and science curriculum of four years or more; has had five years of full-time lawful experience in landscape architecture work of a character satisfactory to the board, or part-time experience which the board finds to be the equivalent thereof; and has successfully passed the national landscape architect licensing examination and a written examination, prescribed by the board designed to test the person's knowledge of the State's climatic conditions, native plants and native ecosystems, land use ordinance and special management area requirements, and cultural and historical conditions affecting landscape architecture; or (5)] (3) The person has had [twelve] eight years of full-time lawful experience in landscape architecture work of a character satisfactory to the board, or part-time lawful experience [which] that the board finds to be the equivalent thereof; and has successfully passed the national landscape architect licensing examination and a written examination, prescribed by the board designed to test the person's knowledge of the State's climatic conditions, native plants and native ecosystems, land use ordinance and special management area requirements, and cultural and historical conditions affecting landscape architecture. [(6)] The person may earn credit toward the required years of lawful experience through one of the following options: (A) If the person holds a degree or certificate in landscape architecture from a school or college not approved by the board, then the person may be credited with one year of experience for each year of schooling completed up to a maximum of four years of credited experience; or (B) If the person holds any degree or certificate, then the applicant may be credited with six months of experience for each one year of schooling completed up to a maximum of two years of credited experience. (e) The applicant shall also certify on the application that the applicant has read, understood, and agrees to comply with the laws and rules that the board determines are required for licensure. In addition to the [foregoing] requirements[,] under this section, the board, in its discretion, may also require additional proof that the applicant is competent to practice professionally, and whenever the board is not fully satisfied [from] with the results of an examination that any applicant is competent to practice professionally, it may give the applicant a further examination or examinations. No person shall be eligible for licensure as a professional engineer, architect, land surveyor, or landscape architect if the person does not possess a history of honesty, truthfulness, financial integrity, and fair dealing." SECTION 4. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date. SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored. SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
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