HOUSE BILL NO. 521 Offered January 11, 2006 Prefiled January 9, 2006 A BILL to amend and reenact § 54.1-409 of the Code of Virginia, relating to landscape architects; acceptance of plans by state and local authorities. ---------- Patron-- Oder ---------- Referred to Committee on General Laws ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 54.1-409 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 54.1-409. Landscape architecture.

Resulting plans and specifications, submitted under the seal, stamp or certification of a certified landscape architect, mayshall be accepted by local and state authorities, in connection with both public and private projects. However, no landscape architect, unless he is also licensed as a land surveyor, shall provide boundary surveys, plats or descriptions for any purpose, except in conjunction with or under the supervision of an appropriately licensed professional, who shall provide certification, as required.

Nothing contained herein or in the definition of "practice of landscape architecture" in § 54.1-400 shall be construed to restrict or otherwise affect the right of any nurseryman, landscape designer, land planner, community planner, landscape gardener, golf course designer, turf maintenance specialist or any other similar person from engaging in such occupation, or from rendering any service in connection therewith that is not otherwise proscribed. No person shall hold himself out as, or use the title of, "landscape architect" or "certified landscape architect," unless he has been certified pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

Any person who (i) used and was identified by the title "landscape architect" for ten years prior to July 1, 2000, (ii) holds an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree in landscape architecture, and (iii) can demonstrate to the Board satisfactory evidence of ten years of professional practice experience representing the full range of landscape architectural knowledge, skills, and abilities represented on the examination used by the Board to certify landscape architects, shall be entitled to apply to and secure from the Board, without written examination, a certificate pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, provided all other requirements of this chapter relating to landscape architecture are complied with and application is or has been made on or before July 1, 2001.