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TITLE 22EXAMINING BOARDS
PART 39TEXAS BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL GEOSCIENTISTS
CHAPTER 851TEXAS BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL GEOSCIENTISTS LICENSING AND ENFORCEMENT RULES
SUBCHAPTER BP.G. LICENSING, FIRM REGISTRATION, AND GIT CERTIFICATION
RULE §851.22Waivers and Substitutions: Policy, Procedures, and Criteria

(a) Introduction: The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists is charged with the responsibility of issuing a license to engage in the public practice of geoscience in the state of Texas only to those individuals who meet the qualifications for licensure, as provided by Texas law. The successful completion of the required examination for the specific discipline is an essential element in the Professional Geoscientist licensure process. The Texas Geoscience Practice Act (TGPA) (Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1002, §1002.259) provides that "Except for the payment of required fees, the board may waive any of the requirements for licensure by a two-thirds vote of the entire board if the applicant makes a written request and shows good cause and the board determines that the applicant is otherwise qualified for a license."

  (1) An applicant for licensure as a Professional Geoscientist may request a waiver by submitting a copy of Form VI - "Request for Waiver of Licensing Requirement - Board Policy and Procedures," along with supporting documentation. Only an applicant for licensure may request a waiver. An applicant must have submitted a complete application, supporting documentation (such as transcripts and qualifying experience record), and applicable fees for a waiver request to be considered.

  (2) Once a request for a waiver and all relevant documents and information supporting the request have been received, subject to scheduling logistics, the request will be placed on the next available meeting of the TBPG's Application Review and Continuing Education Committee.

(b) Guidance Policy: The following policy was developed by the TBPG Board and is intended to be guidance for the Application Review and Continuing Education Committee and the Board in consideration of a request for waiver. In accordance with TOC §1002.259, an approval of a waiver request requires a vote of two-thirds of the TBPG Appointed Board (6 affirmative votes), regardless of the number of Board members in attendance. A request for the substitution of experience for education (provided by TOC §1002.255(b)) requires a simple majority vote of a quorum of the TBPG Appointed Board to be approved.

(c) TBPG's Application Review and Continuing Education Committee Review: TBPG's Application Review and Continuing Education Committee will review the request and supporting documentation and recommend to the full TBPG Board to grant or not grant the requested waiver. An applicant should provide a written justification, along with supporting documentation. An applicant may also appear before the Committee and the full Board to provide testimony to support the request. All requests the Committee recommends for approval will be scheduled for review by the full Board. Requests the Committee does not recommend for approval will not be submitted to the full Board for review, unless the applicant requests review by the full Board.

(d) TBPG's Board Initial Review: TBPG Appointed Board will review requests the Committee recommends for approval and supporting documentation and will determine whether or not to approve the request (grant the requested waiver). An applicant whose request for a waiver or substitution was denied and who believes that there is additional information that was not available to the Board when it reviewed the request, may submit additional information to staff regarding the current application, along with a written request that the Board reconsider the request. If staff determines that new information has been submitted that may be relevant to the Board's review of an application/request, then staff will schedule the application/waiver request for reconsideration. In the review of a request to reconsider its decision on an application/waiver request, because new information has been submitted, the Board will first determine by a simple majority vote whether to reconsider the application/waiver request, based on whether relevant new information has been submitted. If the Board determines by vote that the new information warrants reconsideration of an application/waiver request, the Board will reconsider the waiver request, including all of the new information available at that time. An applicant may appear before the Board and present information related to the request. The Board will reconsider its decision on a waiver request only once.

(e) Examination Waiver Requirements and Criteria.

  (1) For TBPG's Appointed Board to waive an examination, an applicant must:

    (A) Meet all other qualifications for licensure (qualifying work experience, education, documentation relating to criminal, disciplinary, and civil litigation history);

    (B) Meet the criteria in the policy for the specific examination that is the subject of the waiver request; and

    (C) Have not failed the examination that is the subject of the waiver request in the last five years.

  (2) Work experience an applicant submits pursuant to the following examination waiver policies must meet the criteria for qualifying work experience under TBPG rule §851.23 regarding qualifying experience record.

  (3) ASBOG® Fundamentals of Geology Examination Waiver. An applicant must have acquired one of the following combinations of education and work experience:

    (A) B.S. and 15 years qualifying work experience;

    (B) M.S. and 13 years qualifying work experience; or

    (C) Ph.D. and 10 years qualifying work experience.

  (4) ASBOG® Practice of Geology Examination Waiver. An applicant must meet minimum criteria in either Generalized Practice Experience or Specialized Practice Experience.

    (A) Generalized practice experience (must meet all four criteria):

      (i) Completed twenty (20) years of geosciences work experience;

      (ii) Completed ten (10) years of supervisory experience (three or more individuals under supervision);

      (iii) Completed coursework in six of the eight following ASBOG® task domains:

        (I) Field geology;

        (II) Mineralogy, petrology, and geochemistry;

        (III) Sedimentology, stratigraphy, and paleontology;

        (IV) Geomorphology, surficial processes, and quaternary geology;

        (V) Structure, tectonics, and seismology;

        (VI) Hydrogeology;

        (VII) Engineering geology; or

        (VIII) Economic geology and energy resources; and

      (iv) Demonstrate the ability to plan and conduct geosciences investigations considering public health, safety, and welfare.

    (B) Specialized practice experience: The applicant demonstrates twenty years or more of specialized work history in only one or two of the ASBOG® task domains. One factor TBPG will consider is whether the examination is not relevant to, or largely beyond the scope of, the applicant's specialized experience and the applicant's intended field of practice.

  (5) Council of Soil Science Examination (CSSE) - Fundamentals of Soil Science Waiver. An applicant must have acquired one of the following combinations of education and work experience:

    (A) B.S. and 15 years qualified work experience;

    (B) M.S. and 13 years of qualified work experience; or

    (C) Ph.D. and 10 years of qualified work experience.

  (6) Council of Soil Science Examination (CSSE) - Professional Practice examination. An applicant must meet minimum criteria in either Generalized practice experience or Specialized practice experience:

    (A) Generalized practice experience (must meet all four criteria):

      (i) Completed twenty (20) years of soil science work experience;

      (ii) Completed ten (10) years of supervisory experience;

      (iii) Completed coursework in six of the eight following CSSE Professional Practice Performance Objective (PPPO) domains:

        (I) Soil chemistry;

        (II) Soil mineralogy;

        (III) Soil fertility and nutrient management;

        (IV) Soil physics;

        (V) Soil genesis and classification;

        (VI) Soil morphology;

        (VII) Soil biology and soil ecology; or

        (VIII) Soil and land use management; and

      (iv) Demonstrate the ability to plan and conduct soil science investigations considering public health, safety, and welfare.

    (B) Specialized practice experience: The applicant demonstrates twenty years or more of specialized work history in only one or two of the CSSE PPPO domains. One factor TBPG will consider is whether the examination is not relevant to, or largely beyond the scope of, the applicant's specialized experience and the applicant's intended field of practice.

  (7) Texas Fundamentals of Geophysics Examination (TFGE). No waiver is available.

Cont'd...

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