STATUS OF RESPONSES TO SUNSET ADVISORY BOARD’S RECOMMENDATION TO ABOLISH TEXAS BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL GEOSCIENTISTS

Urgent Request: Please submit a personal letter, as well as ask your employer and your clients and all professional organizations to submit letters to the Sunset Commission telling them why it is important for the State of Texas to regulate Geoscience licensure, giving them examples from your real world experience – specifically cases where a P.G. helped      protect the public health, safety, and welfare, saved a client and/or the public money that would have been wasted, and so forth. These letters can be from license holders, unlicensed individuals and firms, where in the letter provides the perspective of why having licensed geoscientists and an agency overseeing that licensing is important to you, the public, and/or your firm.  It’s best if these letters are received by CoB this Wednesday, August 15th.

--John Berry

Click here for a PDF of this request and additional information.

SUNSET COMMISSION STAFF Report Recommends Discontinuing the Regulation of Professional Geoscientists

Email from Charles Horton, Executive Director of the TBPG:

SUNSET COMMISSION STAFF Report Recommends Discontinuing the Regulation of Professional Geoscientists

Over the past year I have been reporting to you on the fact that TBPG was scheduled for review by the Texas Sunset Commission, in accordance with the Sunset provision in the Texas Geoscience Practice Act. The Sunset Provision (TOC §1002.003) in the Texas Geoscience Practice Act states, “The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists is subject to Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued in existence as provided by that chapter, the board is abolished and this chapter expires September 1, 2019.”

The full Sunset Staff Report on the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists is available on the Sunset Commission website at the following link: https://www.sunset.texas.gov/reviews-and-reports/agencies/texas-board-professional-geoscientists-tbpg 

The key recommendation (see recommendation 1.1) is to “Abolish the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists and repeal the Texas Geoscience Practice Act.” That recommendation is based on key “Findings” in the report. The overall key finding statement of the Sunset Commission staff was that the regulation of Professional Geoscientists “did not provide meaningful public protection.” See Issue 1 of the report. 

The full Sunset Staff Report on the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists was published following certain events and actions in accordance with the process coordinated by the Sunset Commission, including TBPG’s preparation activities (which included a thorough review of the standards by which every agency is reviewed and the a set of standards by which occupational regulatory agencies are reviewed); TBPG’s submission of a Self-Evaluation Report (available on both the TBPG and Sunset Commission websites), and actual review activities which included interviews of TBPG staff, certain Board Members, and certain stakeholders.

Please note the following activities that will occur:

  • August 16, 2018: TBPG may submit a formal response to the report.
  • August 29 or 30, 2018: Sunset staff will present its report on TBPG at a public hearing of the Sunset Commission. The agency will present its response to the report. The Sunset Commission will allow “limited” public comments. The reason the actual date is uncertain is that a number of agencies will be reported on and the order of the agency presentations has not yet been determined.
  • November 14 or 15, 2018: The Sunset Commission will present its decision on how it will respond to the staff recommendation regarding the discontinuation of the regulation of Professional Geoscientists. 
  • If the Sunset Commission’s decision is to discontinue the agency, then a bill will be filed in the upcoming 86th Texas Legislative session, beginning in January 2019, to determine how, exactly, the agency would be dissolved, or the Sunset Commission could simply let the Texas Geoscience Practice Act and the TBPG agency expire. 
  • If the Sunset Commission’s decision is to continue the agency, then a bill will be filed in the upcoming 86th Texas Legislative session, beginning in January 2019, to extend the Sunset date in the Texas Geoscience Practice Act.

How can a Professional Geoscientist weigh in on this process?

  • Any licensee, professional organization, or member of the public may submit public comments to the Sunset Commission by following the instructions on the Sunset Commission website. Here is a link to the page on the Sunset Commission website that relates to TBPG’s review: https://www.sunset.texas.gov/reviews-and-reports/agencies/texas-board-professional-geoscientists-tbpg
  • Any licensee, professional organization, or member of the public may attend and provide comments (orally and/or in writing) to the Sunset Commission at its Sunset Advisory Commission Public Hearing on August 29-30, 2018.

Sincerely,

Charles Horton

Executive Director

Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists

512/936-4400 Phone

AGS Awards first Regional Endowed Scholarship

Austin T. Arnold became the first recipient of the Austin Geological Society Regional Endowed Scholarship. Although born in Redwood City, California, Austin Arnold has lived most his life in Texas. Growing up in San Antonio he enjoyed exploring the outdoors with his father, avid outdoorsman. Austin attended Ronald Reagan High in San Antonio before moving to Covington, Washington where he graduated from Tahoma High School. Following high school he moved to Austin where he is completing coursework in Environmental Studies at Austin Community College (ACC). In addition to receiving the first Austin Geological Society Regional Endowed Scholarship, Austin will join a select group of ACC students this summer to participate in a National Science Foundation Summer Research Experience Course at the University of Texas at Austin and ACC. When not working part-time and attending college, Austin enjoys hiking, fishing, camping, and volunteering for environmental/ greenbelt clean-up projects in Central Texas.

 

AGS Endowed Scholarship picture 2018.jpg