The Board proposes the rule amendment to delete language from the rule that is no long current and to update Specific Authority and Law Implemented sections of the rule.

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
Board of Professional Geologists

RULE NO: RULE TITLE
61G16-2.005: Procedures for Signing and Sealing Geological Papers, Reports, or Other Documents
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The Board proposes the rule amendment to delete language from the rule that is no long current and to update Specific Authority and Law Implemented sections of the rule.
SUMMARY: The rule amendment will delete language from the rule that is no long current and to update Specific Authority and Law Implemented sections of the rule.
SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS: The Board determined that small businesses would not be affected by this rule.
Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.
SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: 282.72, 492.104, 492.107, 668.003, 668.006 FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 282.75, 492.107, 668.003, 668.006 FS.
IF REQUESTED WITHIN 21 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE, A HEARING WILL BE SCHEDULED AND ANNOUNCED IN FAW.
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Rick Morrison, Executive Director, Board of Professional Geologists, P. O. Box 5377, Tallahassee, Florida 32314-5377

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

61G16-2.005 Procedures for Signing and Sealing Geological Papers, Reports or Other Documents.

(1) through (3) No change.

(4) An electronic signature and seal shall be permitted in place of an original seal, signature and date when the following criteria are met: Geological papers, reports or other documents which are required to be signed, dated and sealed under the provisions of Chapter 492, F.S. and which are transmitted, submitted or issued by means of electronic files, may be signed and sealed by creating a “signature” file that contains the professional geologist’s name and license number, a brief overall description of the geological papers, reports or other documents in question and a list of the electronic files to be sealed. Each file in the list shall be identified by its file name utilizing relative Uniform Resource Locators (URL) syntax described in the Internet Architecture Board’s Request for Comments (RFC) 1738, December 1994, which is hereby adopted and incorporated by reference by the Board and can be obtained from the Internet Website: http://www.isiedu/in‑notes/rfc1738.txt. Each file shall have an authentication code defined as an SHA‑1 message digest described in Federal Information Processing Standard Publication 180‑1 “Secure Hash Standard,” 1995 April 17, which is hereby adopted and incorporated by reference by the Board and can be obtained from the Internet Website: http://www.itl.nist.gov/fipspubs/fip180‑1.htm. A report shall be created that contains the professional geologist’s name and license number, a brief overall description of the geological papers, reports or other documents in question and the authentication code of the signature file. This report shall be printed and physically signed, dated and sealed by the professional geologist who prepared or issued the geological papers, reports or other documents. The signature file is defined as sealed if its authentication code matches the authentication code on the printed and physically signed, dated and sealed report. Each electronic file listed in a sealed signature file is defined as sealed if the listed authentication code matches the file’s computed authentication code.

(a) It is a unique identification of the licensee and shall contain the same information required on a impression or stamp seal including the date that the document is electronically signed and sealed;

(b) It is verifiable;

(c) It is under the licensee’s direct and exclusive control;

(d) It is linked to the electronic documents in such a manner that causes changes to be easily determined and visually displayed if any data in the electronic document file is changed subsequent to the electronic signature having been affixed to the electronic document and;

(e) An attempt to change the electronic document after the electronic signature and seal is affixed shall cause the electronic signature to be removed or altered significantly enough to invalidate the electronic signature.

Specific Authority 282.75, 492.104, 492.107, 668.003, 668.006 FS. Law Implemented 282.75, 492.107, 668.003, 668.006 FS. History– New 2‑9‑00, Amended 3‑5‑01,________.

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Board of Professional Geologists
NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Board of Professional Geologists
DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: October 22, 2008
DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAW: November 7, 2008