South Carolina S 706: Engineering Advancement and Public Safety Act

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 706 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 10, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 706

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ENACTING THE 
"ENGINEERING ADVANCEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY ACT" BY AMENDING SECTION 40-22-220, 
RELATING TO LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS FOR ENGINEERS, SO AS TO ALLOW QUALIFIED nondegreed 
INDIVIDUALS TO BECOME LICENSED ENGINEERS THROUGH VERIFIED EXPERIENCE AND 
RIGOROUS NATIONAL EXAMINATIONS WHILE MAINTAINING THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF 
PUBLIC PROTECTION.

Whereas, the South 
Carolina General Assembly finds that professional licensure can serve to 
protect the life, health, and property of South Carolina's citizens through 
competency-based regulation; and

Whereas, the South 
Carolina General Assembly finds that qualified South Carolinians with 
substantial field and design experience often face employment barriers due 
solely to the absence of an academic credential, and that this Act provides a 
fair, regulated pathway for such individuals to obtain certification and 
employment opportunities through examination and oversight; and

Whereas, the South 
Carolina General Assembly finds that the current degree-only pathway to 
licensure restricts access for qualified, experienced professionals and 
contributes to workforce shortages in key infrastructure sectors; and

Whereas, the South 
Carolina General Assembly finds that passing the Fundamentals of Engineering 
(FE) and Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) examinations remains the 
most objective measure of technical competence; and

Whereas, the South 
Carolina General Assembly finds that a new Public Safety and Professional 
Ethics Examination will ensure that all licensure applicants demonstrate 
explicit understanding of their duty to safeguard the public; and

Whereas, the South 
Carolina General Assembly finds that the South Carolina Board of Registration 
for Professional Engineers and Surveyors shall continue to oversee applicant 
review, experience verification, and disciplinary enforcement; and

Whereas, the South 
Carolina General Assembly finds that expanding licensure pathways while 
reinforcing safety and ethics aligns with South Carolina's values of fairness, 
opportunity, and responsible governance. Now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of 
South Carolina:

SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the "Engineering Advancement and Public Safety 
Act."

SECTION 2. Section 40-22-220 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
40-22-220. (A) A person having the 
necessary qualifications prescribed in this chapter to entitle him to 
registration is eligible for licensure. A person must pass 
the Public Safety and Professional Ethics Examination approved by the board, 
and be certified as an engineer-in-training as a prerequisite to 
licensure.

 (B) 
To be eligible for certification as an engineer-in-training, an applicant must 
be of good character and reputation and be able to communicate effectively in 
the English language. The minimum evidence satisfactory to the board that an 
applicant is qualified for certification as an engineer-in-training is:

 (1) 
graduation from an EAC/ABET accredited engineering curriculum of four or more 
years and passing NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering examinations required by 
the board;

 (2) 
graduation in a bachelor's degree program, completion of an engineering 
curriculum found to be substantially equivalent to an engineering curriculum 
accredited by EAC/ABET, and passing the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering 
examination;

 (3) 
graduation in a bachelor's degree program, completion of an engineering 
curriculum found to meet the NCEES Engineering Education Standard, and passing 
the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering examination; or

 (4) 
graduation in a TAC/ABET accredited engineering technology curriculum of four 
or more years from a school or college approved by the board as being in 
satisfactory standing, and passing the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering 
examination required by the board.; or

 (5) in lieu of the degree requirements 
of this subsection, an applicant may be eligible upon presenting evidence 
satisfactory to the board that the applicant has completed eight (8) years of 
progressive engineering experience following graduation from high school, and 
passing the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering examination.

 (C) 
To be eligible for licensure and registration as a professional engineer, an 
applicant must be of good character and reputation and be able to communicate 
effectively in the English language. When the evidence presented in the 
application does not appear conclusive to the board or does not warrant the 
issuing of a license, the applicant may be required to present further evidence