| 1 | A bill to be entitled | 
| 2 | An act relating to signing and sealing by professional | 
| 3 | geologists; creating s. 373.1175, F.S.; authorizing the | 
| 4 | Department of Environmental Protection and the governing | 
| 5 | boards of water management districts to require signing | 
| 6 | and sealing of certain documents and reports by | 
| 7 | professional geologists; requiring such cost to be borne | 
| 8 | by the permit applicant or permittee; providing | 
| 9 | construction with respect to professional engineers; | 
| 10 | providing an effective date. | 
| 11 | 
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| 12 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: | 
| 13 | 
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| 14 | Section 1.  Section 373.1175, Florida Statutes, is created | 
| 15 | to read: | 
| 16 | 373.1175  Signing and sealing by professional geologists.-- | 
| 17 | (1)  If an application for a permit or license, or the | 
| 18 | performance of an activity regulated under this chapter, | 
| 19 | requires the services of a professional geologist as provided | 
| 20 | for in chapter 492, the department or governing board of a water | 
| 21 | management district may require that a professional geologist | 
| 22 | licensed under chapter 492 sign and seal any documents and | 
| 23 | reports submitted in connection with the permit application or | 
| 24 | regulated activity. | 
| 25 | (2)  The cost of such signing and sealing by a professional | 
| 26 | geologist shall be borne by the permit applicant or permittee. | 
| 27 | (3)  Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent | 
| 28 | or prohibit the practice by professional engineers pursuant to | 
| 29 | chapter 471. | 
| 30 | Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2005. |