AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 24 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE DELAWARE ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS.
Summary
HB319 amends Delaware’s professional engineering licensing law in Title 24, Chapter 28. The bill makes two main changes: it revises the definition of a “successor professional engineer” to clarify when an engineer may rely on prior work while taking responsible charge of a project, and it updates licensure requirements for professional engineers, including examination timing and applicant qualifications.
On licensure, the bill preserves the existing education, experience, and examination framework but removes restrictions that had limited when some applicants could take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. It also clarifies that applicants using the experience-and-examination pathway without a degree may take the FE and Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exams before completing 15 years of verified experience, so long as they still satisfy all licensure requirements before being licensed. The bill also confirms that applicants need not be actively practicing at the time of application, must provide references, and must demonstrate knowledge of the Delaware Professional Engineers Act and ethics rules.
Impact
The bill amends Sections 2803 and 2817 of Title 24, affecting the Delaware Association of Professional Engineers and the State Board/Council’s licensure standards for professional engineers. It changes how the state defines successor engineers and clarifies sealing and supervisory-control requirements for engineering documents, while also adjusting the timing and accessibility of FE and PE examinations for licensure candidates, especially those pursuing the experience-based pathway.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong support, with the House passing the bill 40-0 on third reading. The synopsis indicates the bill is intended as a technical and modernization measure, aligning Delaware more closely with other jurisdictions and reducing barriers for engineering candidates. No committee transcript opposition is provided, and the overall sentiment appears favorable and noncontroversial.
Contention
The main policy issue is the timing of the FE and PE exams and whether Delaware should continue restricting when candidates may sit for those exams. The bill’s synopsis notes that many other states do not impose such restrictions and that Delaware candidates who cannot test in-state may take the exam elsewhere and later apply in Delaware. Another point of clarification is the successor engineer definition, which narrows when an engineer is considered to be relying on prior work in a way that affects sealing and responsible-charge obligations. No explicit opposition is shown in the provided materials.