Georgia PE, SE license

Georgia ACEC has posted on LinkedIn that SB 310--establishing a PE, SE license for Structural Engineers-- has been signed into law.  I know many Georgians on these threads have been a bit *ahem* resentful for having to pass the 16-hour SE exam in order to obtain a PE license.  What are your thoughts on another state requiring SE licensure for design of high-risk structures?

ACEC Georgia



SB 310 - "PE, SE" license for structural engineers has officially been signed into law by Governor Kemp. This bill alleviates the competitive disadvantage Georgia structural engineers face when competing for projects against individuals from states that have already established some sort of SE license. Great win for ACEC Georgia and the entire engineering community! Thank you to Senator Tyler Harper and Representative Vance Smith for State House!

Pass SE exam to obtain PE license. Wow...

This rule is only for structural engineers I guess.

Stewie said:

Pass SE exam to obtain PE license. Wow...

This rule is only for structural engineers I guess.

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To clarify, Georgia has already been requiring the 16-hour exam for engineers practicing "structural" to obtain a PE license--to the dismay of engineers residing in Georgia.  The new law provides for a separate "Professional Structural Engineer" license to align with the already-established requirements.  

Sounds like good news.  Right now the board is kindof weird about it...they'll let you take the 8 hour PE only if you can convince them that you aren't and don't ever plan on working on 'high-risk' stuff (link).  By having the actual SE license, it sounds like it simplifies things for those doing low-rise and low risk stuff.

This assumes that their rules on only requiring the SE for high risk stuff are staying the same.

thedaywa1ker said:

Sounds like good news.  Right now the board is kindof weird about it...they'll let you take the 8 hour PE only if you can convince them that you aren't and don't ever plan on working on 'high-risk' stuff (link).  By having the actual SE license, it sounds like it simplifies things for those doing low-rise and low risk stuff.

This assumes that their rules on only requiring the SE for high risk stuff are staying the same.

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It's a bizarre middle-ground somewhere between the requirements of Oregon/Washington/Nevada and Illinois.  

Does this affect people that hold existing PE license in GA that are practicing structural?

Stardust said:

Does this affect people that hold existing PE license in GA that are practicing structural?

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I haven't seen anything definitive about grandfathering, just speculation like here (this is a few years old, but I haven't found anything newer) https://www.ascega.org/legislative-affairs/

Reverse Polish said:

It's a bizarre middle-ground somewhere between the requirements of Oregon/Washington/Nevada and Illinois.  

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I can't get a PE in Illinois at all, unless it is in civil engineering, and I have to prove my 4 years of experience in non-structural civil projects.

vhab49_PE said:

I can't get a PE in Illinois at all, unless it is in civil engineering, and I have to prove my 4 years of experience in non-structural civil projects.

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yep SE only

tj_PE said:

yep SE only

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AND IT SUCKS. I missed out on a job opportunity because of it.

vhab49_PE said:

AND IT SUCKS. I missed out on a job opportunity because of it.

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i feel like maybe they weren't that great of a company if they weren't familiar with the state's restrictions tho. 

tj_PE said:

i feel like maybe they weren't that great of a company if they weren't familiar with the state's restrictions tho. 

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It was at this company... the job I was going to apply for made having an Illinois license a requirement. (It is a team lead, in Illinois, I GUESS it makes sense) Still bitter though. 

vhab49_PE said:

I can't get a PE in Illinois at all, unless it is in civil engineering, and I have to prove my 4 years of experience in non-structural civil projects.

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Even then, you can't do any structural work in Illinois with a PE license.  As much as we all stress/have stressed through the 16-hour exam, think of the poor souls who live and work in Illinois, and have to pass this monster just to be considered a "real" engineer in their firms.  I swear half the room last October was stressed-out third-and-fourth timers working in Chicagoland--including a good number of middle-aged types.  

Reverse Polish said:

Even then, you can't do any structural work in Illinois with a PE license.  As much as we all stress/have stressed through the 16-hour exam, think of the poor souls who live and work in Illinois, and have to pass this monster just to be considered a "real" engineer in their firms.  I swear half the room last October was stressed-out third-and-fourth timers working in Chicagoland--including a good number of middle-aged types.  

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Raises hand... poor soul... me.. me! Working in Illinois. Middle-aged, taking this **** exam. (Maybe, some day.) FML.

vhab49_PE said:

Raises hand... poor soul... me.. me! Working in Illinois. Middle-aged, taking this **** exam. (Maybe, some day.) FML.

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I'm sorry--I didn't mean to make you feel terrible.  

Reverse Polish said:

I'm sorry--I didn't mean to make you feel terrible.  

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You didn't - tis a natural state for me.  Not really, just... as we all know, 2020 has not been kind, and I am over it.

tj_PE said:

i feel like maybe they weren't that great of a company if they weren't familiar with the state's restrictions tho. 

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This.  You probably dodged a bullet. 

What exactly is middle aged?  

Are  we going off statistical life expectancy, bc if that is the case, based on a chart I saw on here, the vast majority of people taking this test are middle aged.  Also, there are certain times when I like to see gray hair on people, and its usually when I'm depending on them to make decisions that  ... you know .... won't get me killed. 

Titleistguy said:

What exactly is middle aged?  

Are  we going off statistical life expectancy, bc if that is the case, based on a chart I saw on here, the vast majority of people taking this test are middle aged.  Also, there are certain times when I like to see gray hair on people, and its usually when I'm depending on them to make decisions that  ... you know .... won't get me killed. 

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I'm in my 40's, not really middle aged, but this is my second career, so I feel like the old lady at the party a lot of the time.  All three of my supervisors/leads/VP above me are withing 10 years of my age.

Second career?  What was the first?  Why the change? Do tell!    JK. Its really none of my (or the internet's) business lol.