Professional engineers and land surveyors: documents.

Existing law provides for the licensing and regulation of professional engineers and land surveyors by the Board for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors in the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law requires engineering documents, defined to include plans, calculations, specifications, and reports, to be prepared by, or under the responsible charge of, a licensed engineer and to include his or her name and license number. Existing law requires all land surveying documents to be prepared by, or under the responsible charge of, a licensed land surveyor or civil engineer authorized to practice land surveying and to include his or her name and license number. Existing law makes a violation of those provisions a misdemeanor. This bill would prohibit a person from using a licensed engineer's documents, without the written consent of the licensed engineer, as specified. The bill would also prohibit a person from using a licensed land surveyor's maps, plats, reports, descriptions, or other documentary evidence without the written consent of the licensed land surveyor, as specified. The bill would prohibit a licensed engineer or land surveyor from unreasonably withholding consent to use these documents. The bill would make legislative findings and declarations that the bill's provisions are declaratory of existing law. Because this bill would expand the scope of an existing crime, the bill would create a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.