Notice of Rulemaking Hearing
Notice is hereby given that the Board of Engineers and Architects will hold a rulemaking hearing on the 24th day of January 2025, commencing at 8:30 a.m., to be held at the Lincoln Community Foundation Building, 215 Centennial Mall South, 5th Floor, large conference room.
The purpose of the hearing is to take testimony and evidence about adoption, amendments, and additions to Title 110, Chapters 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. This action is proposed to implement Neb. Rev. Stat. §81-3401 to 81-3455, consistent with the authority granted by the law and with constitutionality. The subject matter and scope of rulemaking action are as follows:
The Board of Engineers and Architects is implementing changes to its regulations. The main topics to be considered through these proposals include, but are not limited to, the following:
-
Proposing a definition of public works;
-
Clarifying that professional engineer applicants who are designated as a Model Law Engineer by NCEES but hold only a degree accredited by the Engineering Technology Accrediting Board of ABET do not qualify for licensure unless they have been licensed for 15 years in another jurisdiction recognized by the Board;
-
Adding a licensure pathway for professional engineers licensed in any foreign country that is an Authorized Member of either the International Professional Engineer’s Agreement or the APEC Engineer Agreement, as developed and published by the International Engineering Alliance;
-
Requiring licensees who have knowledge of a violation of the Engineers and Architects Regulation Act or Board Rules shall report such knowledge to the Board within 90 days and cooperate with the Board if requested;
-
Clarifying the manner in which large specifications may be appropriately sealed;
-
Limiting the number of continuing education (CE) hours the Board will grant in any 24-hour period to 10, along with revisions to CE recordkeeping rules; and
-
Revising rules regarding emeritus-status licensees as it relates to reinstatement applications and continuing education requirements at the time of reapplication.
This hearing is being conducted under the provisions of N.R.S. §84-907 which provides that draft copies of the proposed rules are available for public examination at the Board of Engineers and Architects and at the Office of the Secretary of State, State Capitol, Lincoln, NE 68508. The draft copy of the proposed rules and a clean draft will also be made available on the Board of Engineers and Architects website at the respective links above.
There is expected to be no fiscal impact from amending these regulations on political subdivisions and the Board of Engineers and Architects. There is expected to be no financial impact to the regulated public, license applicants, and licensees.
All interested persons are invited to attend and testify orally or by written submission at the hearing. Interested persons may also submit written comments prior to the hearing, which will be made part of the record at the time of hearing if received by the Board of Engineers and Architects by end of business day January 23, 2025. If auxiliary aids or reasonable accommodations are needed to participate at the hearing, please call (402) 471-2021 no later than ten days before the hearing. TDD users please call (800) 833-7352 and ask the relay operator to call us at (402) 471-2021.
Sealing Specifications Involving Several Licensees
Recently, the Board has seen an increase in the practice of “plan stamping,” where licensees are brought in at the conclusion of a project to give a cursory review of a project’s technical documents and “stamp” them for submission to local building departments and other permitting authorities. This practice is a clear violation of the E&A Act and Board rules.
Under the E&A Act, licensees must be engaged throughout the entire design process, from beginning to end. Architects and professional engineers may only seal work prepared by them or under their direct supervision. Per Board Rule 6.4, to exercise full professional knowledge of and control over work, a licensee in direct supervision of work must:
-
Have and exercise the authority to review and to change, reject, or approve both the work in progress and the final work product through a continuous process of examination, evaluation, communication, and direction throughout the development of the work;
-
Be personally aware of the project’s scope, needs, parameters, limitations, and special requirements;
-
Be capable of answering questions relevant to the architectural or engineering decisions made as part of the services provided in sufficient detail to demonstrate reasonable knowledge of and proficiency in the work; and
-
Be reasonably satisfied with the product of the services rendered and accept full responsibility for the work.
To ensure compliance, all technical documents prepared for non-exempt projects must be designed under the direct supervision of a Nebraska-licensed architect or professional engineer in accordance with the Act.
In other words, licensees must be engaged throughout the entire design process in order to be compliant with the E&A Act, not just at the end.
Individuals and organizations found to be involved in work comprising the practice of architecture or engineering that is not in compliance with the E&A Act may be subject to disciplinary action as specified in N.R.S. §81-3444. These actions could include civil penalties, imposition of costs, and—in the case of licensees who are involved—possible censure, reprimand, limitations to practice, and/or license revocation.
If you have questions, please contact us at nbea.compliance@nebraska.gov or (402) 471-9602.
2024 License Renewal Reminder
Online renewals are open for architects and professional engineers whose last names begin with the letters L through Z. Renewal forms must be received and processed online no later than 11:59 CT on December 31, 2024, to avoid a late payment fee. To renew online, visit https://www.nebraska.gov/EA/ea_renew.php.
A penalty of $8 per month ($80 maximum) is assessed for the renewal of licenses after December 31, 2024. Please note you cannot practice with an expired license, as provided in N.R.S. §81-3442.
If the online renewal system will not accept your password or you wish to renew by check, please contact the Board office at (402) 471-2021 or nbea.office@nebraska.gov for assistance.
You must have satisfied the continuing education requirements before you may renew your license.
If your license expired December 31, 2023 and you wish to renew, you can no longer renew online. Please contact the Board office to request a paper renewal application.
Disciplinary Actions on Website
The Board is committed to safeguarding life, health, and property and promoting the public welfare. To achieve this goal, the Board has the ability to discipline any person or organization found to be in violation of the E&A Act in accordance with N.R.S. §81-3444.
The Board’s website contains copies of all disciplinary actions taken by the Board for violations of the E&A Act since 2015. All orders are public records and not subject to withholding from the public under N.R.S. §84-712.05.
NCARB Releases New Competency Standard for Architects
The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) has launched a new framework that establishes competency-based qualification as the foundation of initial licensure as an architect. The NCARB Competency Standard for Architects will be used to update the current experience and examination programs required to become a U.S. architect, as well as guide the evolution of future licensure processes.
For further information, please click here.
NCEES Professional Licensure Scholarship
Applications are now being accepted for the scholarship program developed in conjunction with the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Research Institute.
Through this initiative, NCEES will provide scholarships to aspiring engineering and surveying students in each state and Washington, D.C. One of the main goals of the program is to help students understand the importance and value of licensure for engineers and surveyors in protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
The program is designed to award a $5,000 scholarship grant to one student from each state and Washington, DC, for a total of 51 grants annually. Each recipient would also be invited to attend ACEC’s Fall Conference, which would include conference registration, airfare, and a one-night hotel stay.
For further information, please click here.
NCEES Foundation Now Accepting Donations
The NCEES Foundation is now accepting individual donations to support programs that further the NCEES mission to advance licensure. These donations allow individuals and other organizations to have a direct impact on protecting the health, safety, and welfare of future generations by ensuring a sustainable workforce of licensed engineers and surveyors. For further information, please click here.
Board Welcomes New Administrative Programs Officer
The Board welcomes new Administrative Programs Officer Cole Gressley, who joined the Board staff in December.
Cole graduated from the University of Nebraska—Lincoln in 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, and attained a B2 level certificate of fluency in German while studying in Berlin. Cole has previously worked as a student research assistant studying interest group position trends, and volunteered with both Husker Pantry and the Lincoln Literacy Council.
Cole will assist the Board in processing license and exam applications from licensees and also act as the primary point of contact for the Nebraska Board of Geologists and the Nebraska State Board of Landscape Architects.
Licensure Updates
The Nebraska Professional Archive
Please click here for past issues.
If you have questions about topics in this blog post, previous issues, or other topics that would be helpful to publish in our next release, please contact us.