An Act to Amend Licensing Requirements for Landscape Architects
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 2060
Committee: Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business
Sponsors: ROBERTS
Amends: 32 MRSA §220

Legislative Document
No. 2060
H.P. 1322
House of Representatives, December 13, 2023
An Act to Amend Licensing Requirements for Landscape Architects
(EMERGENCY)
Submitted by the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation pursuant to Joint 
Rule 203.
Received by the Clerk of the House on December 11, 2023.  Referred to the Committee on 
Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 
and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative ROBERTS of South Berwick.
Emergency preamble.  Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, current law does not allow applicants for licensure in this State as landscape 
architects to sit for the required examination before completing all of the required education 
and years of practical experience; and
Whereas, current law creates a discrepancy, with no apparent reason or justification, 
between the licensing requirements for landscape architects and the licensing requirements 
for architects; and
Whereas, current law thus creates an additional barrier for potential applicants for 
licensure as landscape architects to take the examination; and
Whereas, the examination vendor has temporarily agreed to review education and 
experience qualifications for examination candidates through 2024 and has asked that this 
issue be addressed as soon as possible; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  32 MRSA §220, sub-§2, ¶B, as repealed and replaced by PL 2009, c. 415, 
Pt. A, §16, is amended by amending subparagraph (1) to read:
(1)  To Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, to be qualified for admission 
to the examination a license to practice landscape architecture in this State, an 
applicant must submit evidence to the board that the applicant has passed an 
examination administered by a national council of landscape architectural 
registration boards or an equivalent examination specified by board rule and:
(a)  The applicant has completed a course of study in a school or college of 
landscape architecture approved by the board, with graduation evidenced by a 
diploma setting forth a satisfactory degree, and 2 years of practical experience 
in landscape architectural work of a grade and character satisfactory to as 
prescribed by the board by rule; or
(b)  The applicant has training or practical experience, or a combination of 
both, that in the opinion of the board is fully equivalent to that required in 
division (a).
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation 
takes effect when approved.
SUMMARY
This bill aligns the licensure requirements for applicants for the landscape architect 
license with those for architects and removes the requirement that an applicant must 
complete both the education and experience requirements before being qualified to take the 
required examination.  The bill also authorizes the Maine State Board for Licensure of 
Architects, Landscape Architects and Interior Designers to specify by rule the required 
amount of practical experience that an applicant for licensure as a landscape architect must 
complete before obtaining a license.