IN THIS ISSUE

** ST. THOMAS CONVENTION REGISTRATION INFORMATION NOW AVAILABLE
** FHC, Inc., WINS CECO ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARD
** HAVE YOU RETURNED YOUR FIRM'S UPDATE FORM??????
** ACEC CONVENTION SET FOR SAN ANTONIO IN MAY
** ODOT AMENDS MATERIALS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM POLICIES
** LEGISLATIVE UPDATE -- BILLS OF INTEREST TO CECO

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*** NEXT CECO MEETING ***
Thursday, April 26, 2001
Oklahoma Engineering Center
Oklahoma City
Details coming soon

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ST. THOMAS CONVENTION REGISTRATION INFORMATION NOW AVAILABLE

As we have been touting for several months, CECO's Annual Convention will be held in June in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. The convention will be held jointly with CEC/Missouri and ACEC/Arkansas, June 6-13, 2001 at the Marriott Renaissance Grand Beach Resort. To get an overview of the hotel, visit their web site at http://www.renaissancehotels.com/STTSR.

Registration information for the CECO Convention is now available on the CECO Website. The Convention Program along with Registration Forms can be downloaded in a "pdf" format by clicking here http://www.cecok.org.

Since the Convention will be held in the U.S. Virgin Islands, it is fully tax deductible just as if it were held stateside.

While the dates are listed as Wednesday, June 6th through Wednesday, June 13th (with the two Wednesday's being travel days), the main body of the Convention will be Thursday through Saturday as with the traditional tri-state meetings. The main business and educational sessions will be held Thursday, Friday and Saturday, which would allow participants to come home as early as Sunday if they wish. On the remaining days, educational breakfast programs will be held to satisfy tax requirements, with the balance of the days free for you to enjoy the island.

If you have never been to St. Thomas, it is a beautiful island (12 miles long and 3 miles wide) in the crystal blue waters of the Caribbean. To learn more about the island, and its sister islands St. Johns and St. Croix, visit either http://st-thomas.com or http://www.travelfacts.com/tfacts/htm/stt/sttdest.htm. Once you do, we feel confident that you won't want to miss out on this Convention.

This promised to be a great convention (obviously being held in a great location) and we hope to have a large turnout of CECO members.

If you have any questions, give us a call or drop CECO an e-mail.

See you in St. Thomas!!!!!!!!!!!

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FHC, Inc., WINS CECO ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARD

FHC, Inc., Tusla, won the CECO Grand Conceptor award for its wastewater treatment plant entry into 2001 CECO Engineering Excellence Award Program. By virtue of winning the Oklahoma competition, FHC's project was entered into the national EEA competition held by ACEC.

The wastewater treatment plant, designed for the City of Sapulpa, was selected because of FHC's innovative use of technology and project management techniques that proved invaluable in meeting social and economic challenges inherent to the project.

The wastewater project also won the Outstanding Engineering Achievement Award from the Oklahoma Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE), held in January this year.

Our congratulations to FHC, Inc., on being CECO's 2001 Grand Conceptor Award winner.

Information on the 2002 competition will be coming out later this summer. We encourage all member firms to begin making plans now to enter the 2002 competition.

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HAVE YOU RETURNED YOUR FIRM'S UPDATE FORM??????

A couple of weeks ago CECO sent all firms the annual ACEC Membership Certification Update Form. To date, about half of our member firms have responded, and we thank those firms for their quick response.

These forms are your annual opportunity to let us know of any changes in your firm, as well as your number of employees which is the basis for your annual CECO and ACEC dues.

If you have not yet returned the Update form to CECO, please do so as soon as possible. We need the information, and also have to forward the information to ACEC for their use.

Thanks for your assistance! If you need an additional copy of your form, please contact CECO.

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ACEC CONVENTION SET FOR SAN ANTONIO IN MAY

ACEC's 2001 Annual Convention will be held at the Marriott Rivercenter, located on San Antonio's famous River Walk. Experience South Texas, rich in a heritage influenced by Native Americans, Spanish, and Mexicans. It's a blend of the gracious South with a taste of the Wild West.

The pace is relaxed, the attitude casual, and the people are as warm and welcoming as the climate. Highlights of the Convention program include: General Session speaker David McCullough, noted author, historian, and PBS host; and Keynote Luncheon speaker James Canton, a technology business guru who will help guide your company through the high-tech trends affecting the economy today. Other tracks will focus on human resources, leadership, information technology and communications, marketing, and strategic issues.

Rooms are available at the Marriott Rivercenter for $146 single/double (run-of-the-house) or $156 single/double (river view). Call the Marriott directly at 210-223-1000 to make reservations. Detailed registration information was in the January/February issue of ACE magazine. Information is also available on the ACEC Web Site at http://www.acec.org or directly from CECO.

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ODOT AMENDS MATERIALS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM POLICIES

As part of its continuous improvement effort, the Highway Construction Materials Technician Certification Program has reviewed and amended the policy regarding AC, PC, and Soils Certification performance testing at the Oklahoma Department of Transportation Training Center.

Effective April 1, 2001, performance tests will be closed book. (Calculations and written exams will remain open book.)

For the performance portion of the certification, applicants will be permitted to review the procedure in their manuals and notes prior to demonstrating proficiency. If the first attempt at demonstrating proficiency is unsuccessful, the number of Key Elements failed will determine the criteria for making the final attempt. (Key Elements are provided before testing.) If one or two Key Elements are failed, the evaluator will inform the applicant of which Key Elements were failed and allow a review of the procedure before the final attempt. If three or more Key Elements are failed, the evaluator will inform the applicant only that the attempt failed. A review of the procedure will be allowed before the final attempt is made. If any applicants fail the second (final) attempt, they will be informed that the demonstration of proficiency was insufficient and will need to reapply in order to be certified. (It is strongly
recommended that all applicants enroll in a training module before attempting certification.)

Any technician applying for certifications to be held after July 1, 2001 will require a recommendation from a board certified technician.

College algebra or a passing score on our basic math test is prerequisite for training modules but not certifications. Therefore, the basic math test will no longer be required for certification applicants.

Significant facts: The certification success rate is currently 100% for training module graduates. Certifications do not include instruction or demonstrations from the evaluators.

If you have questions or would like more information about the Certification Program, please call the ODOT Training Center at (405) 632-8022.

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE -- BILLS OF INTEREST TO CECO

It has been an interesting and active few weeks around the Capitol. Rifts within the House Democratic leadership have caused two top Democrats to step down from leadership positions, and rumors of some Democrats joining with House Republicans to overthrow the House Speaker Larry Adair and electing a Republican Speaker, keep flying around the rotunda.

As for bills of interest to CECO, some bills continue to move through the process while others did not make it through a series of deadlines. Below is a list of bills which CECO is tracking along with a brief explanation. Full text of the bills below can be found on the State Legislative page of the CECO website, http://www.cecok.org. CECO will continue to work on the active bills, and will provide updates on the website as necessary.

****** NEW BILLS OF INTEREST SINCE LAST REPORT *****

** SB 748, SB 749, and SB 766 - Oklahoma Department of Tourism Principal Authors: Herbert, David (S); Corn, Kenneth (H); Braddock, David (H)

Each of these bills deal with the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and the state lodges, golf courses, and other business operations of the Department. In general, the provisions of these bills would allow Tourism to compete in the general marketplace with private business concerns on a so-called "level playing field."

CECO's concern is that Tourism is asking to be completely exempted from the State Consultants Act, State Competitive Bidding Act, and other provisions of state law. While there is merit to Tourism being exempt from the Competitive Bidding Act, the exemption from the State Consultants Act was of great concern to CECO.

Working with Senator Herbert and staff from Tourism, CECO developed language which would take Tourism out from under the Department of Central Services (DCS) selection process, but, would preserve QBS within Tourism by requiring Tourism to use the same process as DCS when procuring design services. Additionally, Tourism is required to use the consultant list from DCS when developing requests for proposals.

STATUS: These bills have passed the Senate, and are awaiting action in the House committees. CECO will closely monitor these bills to assure that the QBS provisions remain in tact.

***** PREVIOUSLY REPORTED BILLS OF INTEREST *****

HOUSE BILLS

** HB1051 - Surveyor Statute of Limitation

This bill would provide a 6-year statute of limitation for civil claims against land surveyors.

STATUS: The bill has passed the House, passed the Senate Judiciary Committee, and is awaiting action in the full Senate.

** HB1125 - OTA - CE/Legal

The language of this bill, at least in its initial form, states that it is the "Legislative Intent" for, ..."the Oklahoma Transportation Authority ... to hold payments for engineering and legal services to the barest minimum, and it is further the intent of the Legislature that in regard to bonds hereafter issued, so far as possible, the service of the chief engineer of the Authority to be utilized as the consulting engineer and the service of the Attorney General be utilized as legal counsel for the Authority."

STATUS: The bill did not receive a hearing in the House Committee, and is dead for the session.

** HB1315 - Administrative Law Judges

As in the past two sessions, this bill has again been introduced which would create a completely new state agency to handle all administrative hearings for all state agencies, boards, and commission. Current boards, like the State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, would be stripped of all administrative hearing authority, with such actions being referred to the new agency to be heard by Administrative Law Judges.

The bills have met with stiff opposition in past years, but the authors seem intent on hammering away at the subject.

STATUS: The bill was amended in the House Committee to exempt professional regulatory boards when conducting, "A hearing principally concerning licensing and conducted by an agency acting pursuant to its professional or occupational licensing functions prescribed in Title 59 of the Oklahoma Statutes." If this language stays in the bill, then CECO and the State Board of Registration's concerns are addressed. The bill is awaiting action in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

** HB1597 - Architect Act Revised

Makes several changes in the State Architects Act, some of which mirror language already in the engineers/land surveyors act.

STATUS: The bill was not heard in the House Committee, and is dead for the session.

** HB1723 - Architects Act +$200K

Current law requires an architect on for projects on specific buildings if the value of the project exceeds $40,000. This bill would raise the $40,000 to $200,000.

STATUS: This bill was gutted in the Senate Committee, and now addresses a new subject. CECO will no longer be tracking this bill.

** HB1946 - Home Inspectors (See SB 198)

STATUS: This bill was not heard by the House Committee, and is dead for the session. See SB 198 for active bill.

SENATE BILLS

** SB0181 - Update QBS/Central Services

This bill provides some clean-up language to the major changes which were made last year. The Department of Central Services (DCS) provided CECO with the bill language prior to introduction since the bill does include language in the state QBS law. CECO will work closely with DCS to assure that no negative changes are made in the QBS law.

STATUS: This bill has passed the Senate, and is awaiting action in the House Government Operations and Agency Oversight Committee

** SB0198 - Home Inspectors

STATUS: This is the active bill concerning licensing of Home Inspectors. It has passed the Senate and House Committee, and is awaiting action by the full House. Engineers and Architects are exempt from the licensing provisions.

** SB0354 - Construction Industries Commission

Yet another bill which has been tried before. This bill would take all of the licensure and regulation of the trade industries (plumbing, electrical, mechanical contractors) out from under the Department of Health, and create a stand-alone licensing agency.

STATUS: The bill has passed the Senate and is awaiting action in the House Commerce, Industry and Labor Committee.

** SB0465 - ODOT Consultants Selection

ODOT desires to be removed from the oversight of the Department of Central Services, and to have their own QBS selection procedure for consultants. This is prompted by ODOT's desire to streamline their selection process as will as to shorten the time it takes to select a consultant for a project.

STATUS: The bill has passed the Senate, and is awaiting action in the House Transportation Committee. CECO has worked closely with ODOT on this bill. CECO and ODOT agreed to specific language, and Chairman Tyler will introduced a Committee Substitute when the bill is heard in his Committee. The Committee Substitute will include all of the CECO recommended changes.

** SB0761 - State Board - Quorum

This is a "shell" bill which CECO will watch very closely. At present, we do not know the real intentions of the author, who happens to be a registered professional engineer.

STATUS: No action was taken on this bill, which is now dead for the session.

** SJR0006 - No Turnpikes/New Gas Tax

This resolution would put to a vote of the people the dismantling of the Oklahoma Transportation (formerly Turnpike) Authority, the transfer of all of the OTA operations and assets to ODOT, and, increase in the state motor fuel tax $0.06 (six cents) per gallon to cover the operation of the OTA roads without tolls.

If approved by the voters, this would turn all of the current turnpikes into "free" roads, with the motor fuel tax paying off the OTA bonds.

STATUS: No action was taken, and the Resolution is dead for the session.

Check the CECO website regularly for updates, and updated versions of bills.

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