Texas Administrative Code › Title 22 - EXAMINING BOARDS › Part 39 - TEXAS BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL GEOSCIENTISTS › Chapter 851 - TEXAS BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL GEOSCIENTISTS LICENSING AND ENFORCEMENT RULES › Subchapter D - COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT › Section 851.156 - Professional Geoscientists Seals and Geoscience Firm identification

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a) The purpose of
				  the Professional Geoscientist's seal is to show that professional geoscience
				  services were performed by a qualified licensed Professional Geoscientist and
				  to identify the Professional Geoscientist who performed the geoscience
				  services.
(b) The Professional
				  Geoscientist seal shall be of the design shown in this subsection. Physical
				  seals of two different sizes will be acceptable: a pocket seal (the size
				  commercially designated as 1-5/8-inch seal) or desk seal (commercially
				  designated as a two-inch seal). Electronically or digitally. applied seals may
				  be of a reduced size provided that the Professional Geoscientist's full name
				  and license number are clearly legible. The Professional Geoscientist's name on
				  the seal shall be the same name on the license certificate issued by the TBPG.
Attached
					 Graphic
(c) A
				  Professional Geoscientist shall seal only documents that contain geoscience
				  services performed by or under the Professional Geoscientist's direct
				  supervision. Upon sealing, the Professional Geoscientist takes full
				  professional responsibility for geoscience services that are provided through
				  the sealed document.
(d) It shall
				  be misconduct to knowingly sign or seal any geoscience document if its use or
				  implementation may endanger the public health, safety, and welfare.
(e) It shall be unlawful for a license holder
				  whose license has been revoked, suspended, or has expired to sign or affix a
				  seal on any document.
(f) All seals
				  utilized by a license holder to seal a paper document shall be capable of
				  leaving a permanent ink or impression on the document.
(g) Electronically conveyed geoscience
				  documents requiring a seal must contain an electronic seal and electronic
				  signature or digital seal and digital signature. Such seals should conform to
				  the design requirements set forth in this section.
(1) A Professional Geoscientist must employ
				  reasonable security measures to make the document unalterable. The Professional
				  Geoscientist shall maintain the security of his/her electronic seal and
				  electronic signature, or digital seal and digital signature. The following
				  methods are allowed:
(A) The Professional
				  Geoscientist may electronically copy the original hard copy of the document
				  that bears his/her seal, original signature, and date and transmit this
				  document in a secure electronic format.
(B) The Professional Geoscientist may create
				  an electronic seal and electronic signature for use in transmitting
				  geoscientific documents by making a secure electronic graphic of the
				  Professional Geoscientist's original seal and signature.
(C) A digital signature, as defined in 22 TAC
				  §
												851.10, which can be generated by
				  using either public key infrastructure or signature dynamics technology, must
				  be: unique to the person using it, capable of verification, under the sole
				  control of the person using it, and linked to a document in such a manner that
				  the digital signature is invalidated if any data in the document is changed
				  and/or deleted.