Licensure Law Passed - Dear VA-ASLA Members, Potomac Chapter  Members in VA, and fellow Certified Landscape Architects

We are pleased to report that Governor Tim Kaine signed into law the licensure of Landscape Architects in Virginia on Friday, March 27th.  Our gratitude goes out to the many people who have contributed their heart, soul, time and even money toward making this happen!

VIRGINIA APELSCIDLA BOARD ANNOUNCEMENT 
Click here for:  Licensure Update for Landscape Architechts in Virginia

Important Changes to Virginia's Landscape Architect Regulatory Program

Licensure to replace certification; continuing education requirements apply.

The 2009 General Assembly amended the regulatory program for landscape architects administered by the Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, Certified Interior Designers and Landscape Architects (APELSCIDLA Board). Any person who holds a valid landscape architect certification, and is a Virginia-certified landscape architect in good standing on June 30, 2010, shall be licensed to practice landscape architecture as of July 1, 2010.

Additionally, beginning with July 31, 2010, license expirations, landscape architects must attest to meeting the Board's continuing education requirement. For example, any licensed landscape architect with an expiration of July 31, 2010, must attest to 16 hours of continuing education obtained from August 1, 2008 - July 31, 2010. Refer to 18VAC10-20-683 (see below) for continuing education requirements.

Additional information regarding the regulations is available on the Board's website at www.dpor.virginia.gov. Past and pending regulatory action is also available on the Town Hall website at: http://www.townhall.virginia.gov/L/ViewStage.cfm?stageid=5312  There is a PDF you can download and go to page 412 to see the new regs relevant to landscape architect licensure. This was a language clean-up to rid the regs of "certified landscape architect". These regs will become effective on July 1 of this year.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
APELSCIDLA Board
(804) 367-8512
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http://www.dpor.virginia.gov/dporweb/ape_main.cfm   

Direct link to the current regs for the APELSCIDLA Board:
http://leg1.state.va.us/000/reg/TOC18010.HTM

The link to the DPOR APELSCIDLA Board website (you can access a PDF of the current regs on this page):
http://www.dpor.virginia.gov/dporweb/ape_main.cfm

This is the link to the pdf of the current regs:
http://www.dpor.virginia.gov/dporweb/ape_reg.pdf

FUNDING CONTRIBUTIONS STILL NEEDED
Folks - this is all very exciting but it has cost us money!!!!  To those of you who have not contributed, we really need your help!. We understand that these are challenging times. However, please consider sending us as much as you can afford at this time.  We are and will continue to receive your donations until we have replenished our coffers. 

Here is what you need to do to donate:
Contributions in the form of a check should be made payable to "VA-ASLA" and may be sent to the Chapter mailing address:

VAASLA
11712c Jefferson Avenue #249
Newport News, Virginia  23606
Include a note on the check indicating "LEGISLATIVE FUND." 

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At the request of ASLA's Federal Government Affairs staff, Congressman Michael McCaul (R,TX) offered an amendment to include "landscape architects" in H.R. 1716, the Green Energy Education Act. H.R. 1716, would allow the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation to provide grants to colleges and universities to improve engineering and architecture education related to the design and construction of high performance buildings. The amendment calls for improving the ability of engineers, architects, "landscape architects" and planners to work together on designing high performance buildings. The amendment passed the House Committee on Science and Technology's by voice vote.

Passage of the McCaul amendment is a great victory for ASLA. Passage of this amendment demonstrates that our federal legislators recognize the many contributions that landscape architects are making in the design and construction of energy efficient buildings.

This bill may soon move to the full House of Representatives for floor action.
For more information on this legislation, visit  www.asla.org/members/publicaffairs/federal.html

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National ASLA actions from the Government Affairs Office and how it is setting up to help us:

State Priorities

Licensure is the top priority for state advocacy. In 2005, the 50 by 2010 Licensure Campaign reached its halfway point. The progress has been impressive, but with four more years to go, there are still 12 states and the District of Columbia without practice acts. Of course, even those states with practice acts must stay vigilant and actively engaged in legislative activity. Within the next two years, at least nine of the remaining states will have actual legislation pending to establish a practice act. In addition, two other states will be facing sunset review in that time. Even with all of this activity going on, there is so much more we can do. In each of your states, there are issues that affect your practice, and your practice can provide expertise on important issues of the day. The best way to get involved is to get to know your state legislators: Volunteer to campaign for them, visit them to discuss a pressing issue, and invite them to tour a project in their district that they care about. When you develop these relationships, it will be that much easier to discuss issues that directly affect the profession, including licensure.