[S. 933]

An Act To provide for the examination and registration of archi tects and to regulate the practice of architecture in the District of Columbia

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there is hereby created a Board of Examiners and Registrars of Architects, the members of which and their successors shall be appointed by the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, and said board, subject to the approval of said commissioners, shall make rules for the examination and registration of applicants for the certificates provided for by this Act.

SEC. 2. That the board shall be appointed within ninety days after the approval of this Act, and shall be composed of five architects who have been in active practice in the District of Columbia for not less than ten years previous to their appointment. One member of said board shall be designated by the said commissioners as chairman pro tempore until such time as permanent organization is effected.

SEC. 3. That in making the first appointment under this Act the said commissioners shall appoint one of the members of said board to hold office for a period of one year; one to hold office for a period of two years; one to hold office for a period of three years; one for four years; and one for five years; and thereafter all appointments shall be for a period of five years. In case a successor is not appointed at the expiration of the time of any member, such member shall hold office until the successor has been duly appointed and has qualified. In the event of any vacancy occurring in the membership of said board in any manner other than by expiration of time, the said commissioners shall fill said vacancy by an appointment for the unexpired term.

SEC. 4. That the members of said board of examiners shall, before entering upon the discharge of their duties, subscribe to and file with the secretary of the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia the constitutional oath of office.

SEC. 5. That the Board of Examiners and Registrars of Architects shall meet for organization within thirty days after its appointment and shall elect from its membership a president, a secretary, and a

treasurer.

SEC. 6. That the said board shall adopt all necessary rules, regulations and by-laws, not inconsistent with this Act, to govern its times and places of meeting for organization and reorganization and the holding of examinations, the length of the terms of its officers and all other matters requisite to the exercise of its powers, the performance of its duties, and the transaction of its business under the provisions of this Act. At least two meetings shall be held each year for the purpose of examination for registration.

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SEO. 7. That three members of the said board shall constitute a quorum, but no action at the meeting can be taken without at least three votes in accord.

SEC. 8. That the secretary of the said board shall keep a true record of all proceedings of the said board and may employ such clerical assistance as the said board may deem necessary.

SEC. 9. That the said board shall be charged with the duty of enforcing the provisions of this Act and may incur such expenses as shall be necessary, all of which expenses shall be paid only out of the revenue arising from this Act in the manner hereinafter mentioned and provided.

SEC. 10. That a roster showing the names and places of business and residences of all registered architects shall be prepared by the secretary of the board during the month of June of each year; such roster shall be printed out of the funds of the board as provided in section 11. On or before the 1st day of August each year the board shall submit to the Commissioners of the District of Columbia a report of its transactions for the preceding fiscal year, together with a complete statement of the receipts and expenditures of the board, certified by the chairman and the secretary, and a copy of the said roster of registered architects.

The

SEC. 11. That all fees provided for by this Act shall be paid to and receipted for by the treasurer of the Board of Examiners and Registrars of Architects for the District of Columbia and shall not be used for any purpose other than the purposes of this Act. expenses of said board, subject to the approval of said board, shall be paid by him upon written order and warrant of the president and secretary of said board.

SEC. 12. That each member of the said board shall be entitled to such reasonable compensation for his services as may be approved by said board: Provided, That said compensation shall not exceed $10 per diem: And provided, That the total amount of such compensation shall not exceed the unobligated balance remaining with the treasurer of the board on the 30th of June of each year.

SEC. 13. That the members of the said board shall be reimbursed the amount of actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties under this Act, subject to the approval of said board.

SEC. 14. That any person wishing to practice architecture in the District of Columbia under title of architect shall, before being entitled to be or be known as an architect, secure from such board a certificate of qualifications to practice under the title of architect, as provided by this Act.

SEC. 15. That any person having a certificate pursuant to the requirements of this Act may be styled or known as an architect or registered architect.

SEC. 16. That no person presumed to have the right to secure such certificate because of his or her use of the title architect prior to the time this Act goes into effect shall assume any title indicating that he or she is an architect, or any words, letters, or figures to indicate that the person using them is an architect, unless he or she shall have qualified and obtained a certificate of registration as an architect, or unless he or she shall have filed an affidavit establishing the fact that he or she was in practice as an architect previous to the passage of this Act and has a legal right to practice without a

certificate. Each member of a firm or corporation practicing architecture shall be registered before being entitled to be known as or to style themselves architects or registered architects.

SEC. 17. That nothing contained in this Act shall prevent the draftsmen, students, clerks of work, superintendents, and other employees of those lawfully practicing as registered architects under the provisions of this Act from acting under the instruction, control, or supervision of their employers, or to prevent the employment of superintendents of the construction, enlargement, or alteration of buildings or any appurtenance thereto, or prevent such superintendent from acting under the immediate personal supervision of the registered architect by whom the plans and specifications of any such building, enlargement, or alteration were prepared. Nor shall anything contained in this Act prevent persons, engineers, mechanics, or builders from making plans, specifications for, or supervising the erection, enlargement, or alteration of buildings or any appurtenance thereto: Provided, That the plans and specifications for such construction are signed by the authors thereof with their true appellation, without the use in any form of the title "architect or architects."

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SEC. 18. That a building, for the purposes of this Act, is any structure consisting of foundation, floors, walls, columns, girders, and roof, or a combination of any number of these parts, with or without other parts or appurtenances.

SEC. 19. That any properly qualified person who shall have been actually engaged in the practice of architecture in the District of Columbia at the time this Act takes effect may be granted a certificate of registration without examination on condition that the applicant shall submit satisfactory evidence to the said board that he is qualified to practice architecture and by payment to the board of fee for certificate of registration as prescribed in section 24 of this Act: Provided, That nothing in this Act shall prevent any person who was actually engaged in the practice of architecture under the title of architect prior to the time this Act takes effect from continuing the practice of said profession without a certificate of registration and without the use in any form of the title "registered architect."

SEC. 20. That any citizen of the United States or any person who has declared his (or her) intention of becoming such citizen, being at least twenty years of age and of good moral character, may apply for a certificate of registration or for such examination as shall be requisite for such certification under this Act.

SEC. 21. That the applicant shall satisfactorily pass an examination in such technical and professional subjects as shall be prescribed by the Board of Examiners and Registrars of Architects. The board may, in lieu of examination, accept satisfactory evidence of any one of the qualifications set forth under subdivisions (a) and (b) of this section.

(a) A diploma of graduation or satisfactory certificate from an architectural college or school that he or she has completed a technical course approved by the board, together with and subsequent thereto of at least three years satisfactory experience in the office. or offices of a reputable architect or architects.

The board may require applicants under this subdivision to furnish satisfactory evidence of knowledge of professional practice.

(b) Registration or certification as an architect in another State or country, where the qualifications prescribed at the time of such registration or certification were equal to those prescribed in this District at date of application, and where such State, Territory, or foreign country accepts in like manner the registration of architects in the District of Columbia.

SEC. 22. That an architect who has lawfully practiced architecture for a period of more than ten years outside of the District of Columbia shall, except as otherwise provided in subdivision (b) of section 22, be required to take only a practical examination, the nature of which shall be prescribed by the Board of Examiners and Registrars of Architects.

SEC. 23. That the fees to be paid to the treasurer of the Board of Examiners and Registrars of Architects shall be fixed by said board from time to time and shall not exceed in amount the several fees provided for in this section.

The fee to be paid by an applicant for a certificate of registration as a registered architect shall be $10.

The fee to be paid by an applicant who has been granted a certificate of registration as a registered architect by the board shall be not in excess of $12, such fee to be prorated on a monthly basis from time of granting of application to the 30th day of the following April.

The fee to be paid upon renewal of a certificate of registration shall be not in excess of $15.

The fee to be paid for the restoration of an expired certificate of registration shall be not in excess of $20.

SEC. 24. That all examination papers and other evidences of qualification submitted by each applicant shall be filed with the Board of Examiners and Registrars of Architects, and said board shall keep a record of its proceeding relating to the issuance, refusal, renewal, suspension, and revocation of certificates of registration.

The record shall also contain the name, known place of business and residence, and the date and number of the certificate of regis tration of every registered architect entitled to practice his profession in the District of Columbia.

Every person granted such certificate shall have the same recorded with the Commissioners of the District of Columbia.

SEC. 25. That every registered architect in the District of Columbia, to continue the practice of his profession, shall annually, during the month of May, renew his certificate of registration and pay the renewal fee required by section 24 of this Act.

A person who fails to renew his certificate of registration during the month of May in each year may not thereafter renew his certificate except upon payment of the fee required by section 24 of this Act for the restoration of an expired certificate of registration. Every renewal certificate shall expire on the 30th day of April following the issuance.

SEC. 26. Exemptions: That the following shall be exempted from the provisions of this Act:

(1) Practice as an architect in the District of Columbia by any person not a resident of and having no established place of business in the District of Columbia, or any person resident in the District of Columbia, but whose arrival in the District of Columbia is recent: Provided, however, That such person shall have filed an application for registration as an architect and shall have paid the fee provided for in section 24 of this Act. Such exemption shall continue for only such reasonable time as the board requires in which to consider and grant or deny the said application for registration.

(2) Engaging in architectural work as an employee of a registered architect, or as an employee of an architect, or an engineer authorized by paragraphs 1 and 2 of this section: Provided, That said work may not include responsible charge of design or supervision.

(3) Practice of architecture by any person not a resident of and having no established place of business in the District of Columbia as a consulting associate of an architect registered under the provisions of this Act: Provided, That the nonresident is qualified for such professional service in his own State or country.

(4) Practice of architecture solely as an officer or as an employee of the United States.

(5) Practice of architecture solely as an officer or as an employee of the District of Columbia at the time this Act becomes effective and thereafter only until the expiration of the then existing term of office of such employee.

SEC. 27. Revocation of certificates: That the Board of Examiners and Registrars of Architects may revoke any certificate after thirty days' notice with grant of hearings to the holder hereof if proof satisfactory to the board be presented in the following cases:

(a) In case it is shown that the certificate was obtained through fraud or misrepresentation.

(b) In case the holder of the certificate has been found guilty by said board or by a court of justice of any fraud or deceit in his professional practice or has been convicted of a felony by a court of justice.

(c) In case the holder of the certificate has been found guilty by said board of gross incompetency or of recklessness in the planning or construction of buildings.

SEC. 28. That proceedings for the annullment of registration (that is, the revocation of a certificate) shall be begun by filing written charges against the accused with the board of examiners and registrars of architects. A time and place for the hearing of the charges shall be fixed by the board. Where personal service or services through counsel can not be effected service may be made by publication. Åt the hearing the accused shall have the right to be represented by counsel, to introduce evidence, and to examine and cross-examine witnesses. The secretary of the board is hereby empowered to administer oath and the board shall make a written report of its findings, which report shall be filed with the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, and which shall be conclusive.

SEC. 29. That every person who was making use of the title of architect in the District of Columbia before the going into effect of this Act shall, within one year after the going into effect of this Act, record his name with the proof of his use of such title with the