Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists Update
Earlier this year, in a surprise move, the Texas Sunset Advisory Committee recommended to eliminate the Texas Board of Professional Geology and repeal the Texas Geoscience Practice Act. A review period was established where the public and specifically geoscience professionals could comment on this decision. Local Texas geoscience organizations and societies mobilized quickly to protest this decision and move forward. The Sunset Advisory Committee received letters of support for the TBPG from across the geoscience community and this included a very strong letter in support for the TBPG from the AAPG Executive Committee.
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Earlier this year, in a surprise move, the Texas Sunset Advisory Committee recommended to eliminate the Texas Board of Professional Geology and repeal the Texas Geoscience Practice Act. A review period was established where the public and specifically geoscience professionals could comment on this decision. Local Texas geoscience organizations and societies mobilized quickly to protest this decision and move forward. The Sunset Advisory Committee received letters of support for the TBPG from across the geoscience community and this included a very strong letter in support for the TBPG from the AAPG Executive Committee.
On Aug. 2, licensed geologist in Texas received news that the final recommendation of the Sunset Advisory Committee was to retain the TBPG and recommend that the Texas State Legislature renew the Texas Geoscience Act for another six years. This reversal was good news but there is more work ahead, we must ensure that the Texas State Legislature vote in favor of the Texas Geoscience Practice Act. This means we must continue to write letters to encourage our legislators to approve this act. There is also another way you can help and that is to support the efforts of the Texas Geoscience Council to educate legislators on who we are and what we do as geoscientist. Please go to their website and see where you can help (TXgeoscience.org) this does include donations.
I would like to recognize the efforts of HGS President Cheryl Desforges and DPA President-elect John Jordan to educate and inform all of us on the importance of the TBPG to the geoscientist and the public. Texas has one of the largest geoscience communities in the world and this could affect the practice of geology in other states. If we desire to be legally recognized as professionals, we must support the TBPG and the Texas Geoscience Council.