Joey B. Hicks

The Committee reviewed and approved various applications, including seven examination applications, one endorsement application, and one surveyor-in-training application. Additionally, a report regarding the progress of the geomatics department at Florida Atlantic University was presented during the public comment session.

The committee reviewed and approved a continuing education provider application for Frontier Precision, Inc. Additionally, the committee approved requests for continuing education credits for three licensed surveyors, specifically awarding credits for publications and college coursework.

The committee reviewed and processed various requests for continuing education credits. Multiple individuals were granted specific credit amounts for publications, transcripts, and articles, while one request was denied due to credits having been previously awarded. Discussions were also held regarding the need for Board staff to gather more information from applicants and the potential to refine continuing education rules during future Rules Committee meetings to address ambiguities. Public comment focused on the importance of consistency in applying rules and the limited availability of surveying course instructors.

The committee reviewed statistical reports for NCEES examinations, the Florida Jurisdictional Examination, and the licensing of new surveying and mapping businesses. Discussions included the proposed removal of Public Land Surveying Systems questions from the NCEES Principles and Practices exam and the potential adoption of a separate NCEES PLSS examination, which would require future rule and statute revisions by the June 2027 deadline.

The committee held discussions regarding the potential implementation of an NCEES Mapping Science Examination, which is intended to license certain surveyors without a focus on boundary surveys. It was decided that a non-binding letter would be issued to support this initiative. Additionally, statistics were provided concerning the performance of candidates on the NCEES Fundamentals and Principles and Practice Examinations, the Florida Jurisdictional Examination, and the issuance of new business licenses. The committee also briefly discussed the timeline for future implementation of the mapping examination, noting that it would require potential rule and statutory changes.