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03 LC 25 2971ER
Senate Bill
129
By: Senators Harp of the 16th, Cagle of the 49th, Lee of the 29th, Gillis of the 20th and Stephens of the 51st
AS PASSED
By: Senators Harp of the 16th, Cagle of the 49th, Lee of the 29th, Gillis of the 20th and Stephens of the 51st
AS PASSED
AN ACT
To amend Code Section 31-3-5 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to functions of county boards of health, so as to change the
definition of the term "soil classifier"; to repeal a certain definition; to
change the provisions relating to who may conduct investigations of the
suitability of sites within the state for on-site sewage management systems; to
require certain standards and qualifications; to provide for related matters; to
provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Code Section 31-3-5 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to functions of county boards of health, is amended by
striking subsection (d) in its entirety and inserting in lieu thereof a new
subsection (d) to read as
follows:
"(d)(1) Any person may register with the department to conduct soil investigations and prepare soil reports of a site within the state for an on-site sewage management system who meets any one of the following criteria:
(A) Qualifies as a soil classifier as defined in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3) of this subsection;
(B) Holds a valid certificate of registration as a professional engineer issued pursuant to Chapter 15 of Title 43 and is practicing within his or her area of engineering competency;
(C) Holds a valid certificate of registration as a registered geologist issued pursuant to Chapter 19 of Title 43 and is practicing within his or her area of geologic competency; or
(D) Is a soil and water conservation technician as defined in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (3) of this subsection.
(2) Upon the submission of an evaluation of the suitability of a site within the state for an on-site sewage management system by such a person who is registered with the department, the county board of health shall be required to accept the evaluation unless such evaluation is found by the county board of health to be deficient or questionable. If the county board of health finds such evaluation to be deficient or questionable, the board shall, within three working days of making such finding, issue a written determination stating all deficiencies and all measures needed to correct the deficiencies. A copy of this determination shall be provided to the state director of environmental health.
(3) As used in this subsection, the term:
(A) 'Soil and water conservation technician' means a person employed as a soil and water conservation technician by a soil and water conservation district provided for in Article 2 of Chapter 6 of Title 2.
(B) 'Soil classifier' means a person who:
(i) Holds at least a bachelor of science degree from an accredited college or university with a major in soil science or a related field of science. This degree shall include 30 semester credit hours or equivalent quarter credit hours in the biological, physical, chemical, and earth sciences with a minimum of 15 semester credit hours or equivalent quarter hours in soil science courses meeting the following distribution:
(I) A minimum of one course in soil classification, morphology, genesis, and mapping; and
(II) The remaining soil science credits must be in at least three of the following eight categories: introductory soil science; soil fertility; soil microbiology; soil chemistry; soil physics; soil management, soils and land use, or soils and the environment; soil mineralogy; or a three credit maximum in independent study, geology, or hydrology; and
(ii) Has at least four years of verifiable full-time or equivalent part-time experience under the supervision of a soil classifier who has met the education and experience requirements provided in this subparagraph. Such experience must be obtained after meeting all educational requirements defined in this subparagraph and must have been spent actively mapping, identifying, and classifying soil features and interpreting the influence of soil features on soil uses including, but not limited to, conducting soil investigations for determining the suitability of sites for on-site sewage management systems as approved by the department´s soil classifiers advisory committee; and
(iii) Has successfully passed a written examination pertaining to site investigations for on-site sewage management systems administered or approved by the department."
"(d)(1) Any person may register with the department to conduct soil investigations and prepare soil reports of a site within the state for an on-site sewage management system who meets any one of the following criteria:
(A) Qualifies as a soil classifier as defined in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3) of this subsection;
(B) Holds a valid certificate of registration as a professional engineer issued pursuant to Chapter 15 of Title 43 and is practicing within his or her area of engineering competency;
(C) Holds a valid certificate of registration as a registered geologist issued pursuant to Chapter 19 of Title 43 and is practicing within his or her area of geologic competency; or
(D) Is a soil and water conservation technician as defined in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (3) of this subsection.
(2) Upon the submission of an evaluation of the suitability of a site within the state for an on-site sewage management system by such a person who is registered with the department, the county board of health shall be required to accept the evaluation unless such evaluation is found by the county board of health to be deficient or questionable. If the county board of health finds such evaluation to be deficient or questionable, the board shall, within three working days of making such finding, issue a written determination stating all deficiencies and all measures needed to correct the deficiencies. A copy of this determination shall be provided to the state director of environmental health.
(3) As used in this subsection, the term:
(A) 'Soil and water conservation technician' means a person employed as a soil and water conservation technician by a soil and water conservation district provided for in Article 2 of Chapter 6 of Title 2.
(B) 'Soil classifier' means a person who:
(i) Holds at least a bachelor of science degree from an accredited college or university with a major in soil science or a related field of science. This degree shall include 30 semester credit hours or equivalent quarter credit hours in the biological, physical, chemical, and earth sciences with a minimum of 15 semester credit hours or equivalent quarter hours in soil science courses meeting the following distribution:
(I) A minimum of one course in soil classification, morphology, genesis, and mapping; and
(II) The remaining soil science credits must be in at least three of the following eight categories: introductory soil science; soil fertility; soil microbiology; soil chemistry; soil physics; soil management, soils and land use, or soils and the environment; soil mineralogy; or a three credit maximum in independent study, geology, or hydrology; and
(ii) Has at least four years of verifiable full-time or equivalent part-time experience under the supervision of a soil classifier who has met the education and experience requirements provided in this subparagraph. Such experience must be obtained after meeting all educational requirements defined in this subparagraph and must have been spent actively mapping, identifying, and classifying soil features and interpreting the influence of soil features on soil uses including, but not limited to, conducting soil investigations for determining the suitability of sites for on-site sewage management systems as approved by the department´s soil classifiers advisory committee; and
(iii) Has successfully passed a written examination pertaining to site investigations for on-site sewage management systems administered or approved by the department."
SECTION 2.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the
Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval.
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are
repealed.