Does state provide a license: Yes
Current Active Licensees
| Title | Licensees |
|---|---|
| Engineering Geologist | 215 |
| Geologist | 835 |
| Geologist In Training | 105 |
License: Registered Geologist
Exam Entity: ASBOG
Licensing Board: Oregon State Board of Geologist Examiners
Licensing Board Website: https://www.oregon.gov/osbge/Pages/default.aspx
Degree required:
Majors accepted:
Courses required:
Courses accepted:
Geology credits required: 30
Credit information: To be eligible for a certificate of registration, an applicant shall meet each of the following minimum qualifications: graduated from an accredited college or university with a major in geology, engineering geology, geological engineering or related geological science approved by the State Board of Geologist Examiners; or completed and passed 45 quarter hours or the equivalent in geological science. courses.
Education Notes: See the state regulations for a complete explanation of the education requirements for licensure.
Years of experience required: 7
Experience credits needed: 4
Experience information: Each year of completed undergraduate study in the geological sciences shall count as one year of training up to a maximum of two years, and each year of completed graduate study shall count as one year of training up to a maximum of three years. Total credit for undergraduate and graduate study may not exceed a total of four years toward meeting the requirement for at least seven years of geological work. The board may consider in lieu of geological work required, the cumulative total of geological work or geological research completed by persons teaching at the college or university level, provided such work or research is equivalent to the professional requirements specified in this subsection.
Continuing education requirements: other
Continuing education details: SB43 was passed in 2019 and becomes effective 1/1/2020. SB43 states the the board may establish or approve programs of continuing education. The number of hours of continuing education required shall be determined by the board, but may not exceed 8 hours per year.
Geologist in Training license available: Yes
Can take Fundamentals of Geology test before graduation: Yes
Fundamentals of Geology test details: The rules, regulations and board website do not specifically address taking the FG examination before degree completion. The regulations state that to qualify, all applicants must have completed at least 45 quarter hours of geology coursework of which at least 36 quarter hours (80%) must be upper-level coursework.
Legal Code Reference for GIT, FG: OAR 809-030-0025
Most registration and licensure systems include structural approaches to review both the need and operational effectiveness of the process.
Some states provide formal sunset evaluation processes for their licensure programs. Many also include a periodic audit process of the licensure program/agency, which can range from cursory financial reviews to comprehensive evaluation of program effectiveness.
The audit process is often leveraged when political pressure is applied to eliminate geologist licensure, so awareness of the history and codes for audits and sunset evaluations is critical to montioring the health of the licensure within the state.
Current modes for sunsetting evaluation: Audit
License subject to sunset review: No
License subject to audit review: Yes
Sunset regulation name: None identified
Sunset statute: See audit and sunset history
Sunset statute reference: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors182.html
Sunset committee: See audit and sunset history
Composition of sunset committee: See audit and sunset history
Sunset committee website: See audit and sunset history
Sunset duration: See audit and sunset history
Auditor name: Secretary of State, Audits Division
Auditor website: https://sos.oregon.gov/audits/Pages/default.aspx
Audit statute: Oregon Revised Statutes, Volume 07. Public Facilities, Finance, Chapter 297. Audits of Public Funds and Financial Records.
Audit Statute abbreviation: Oregon Revised Statutes, Volume 07. Public Facilities, Finance, Chapter 297. Audits of Public Funds and Financial Records. Section 41-5A-1
Audit statute link: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors297.html
Audit legislation committee: Joint Legislative Audit Committee
Audit legislation committee website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/lfo/Pages/Audit-Committee.aspx
Audit notes: See sunset and audit history
| Year | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Practice regulation | The Oregon State Board of Geologist Examiners written into statutes Chapter 809 and Chapter 672. |
| 1977 | Sunset law created | The Determination of Public Need for Certain State Agencies law (sunset law) was created by House Bill (HB) 2323 of 1977 under Oregon Statutes §182.605. |
| 1993 | Sunset law amended | There were Sunset law amendments in 1981 (c.438 §45 and c.821 §1a), 1983 (c.17 §28), 1987 (c.414 §145), 1989 ( c.460 §2 and c.721 §21), 1991 (c.67 §43) and 1993 (c.45 §287). |
| 1993 | Sunset law repealed | The sunset law was repealed by c.458 §1. |
| 1998 | Audit | Audit of the Board of Geologist Examiners, report number 1999-08. |
| 2003 | Audit of the Board of Geologist Examiners, report number Management Letter 923-2003-10-01 | |
| 2003 | Audit | Audit of the Board of Geologist Examiners, report number 2004-06. |
| 2005 | Audit | Audit of the Board of Geologist Examiners, Report number 2006-22. |
| 2007 | Audit | Audit of the Board of Geologist Examiners, report number 2008-06. |
| 2009 | Audit | Audit of the Board of Geologist Examiners, report number 2009-31. |
| 2012 | Legislative bill | There was discussion of introducing new sunset laws under SB 299 and HB 2373. It appears that neither bill was voted on (died). |