For this month’s message, I want to try to convince you all to make our Government Affairs Committee your valentine. With all of the work they have been doing over the past 10 years, there is plenty of reason to fall in love! Here are just a few of the significant ways in which the Florida Chapter Government Affairs volunteers have affected the practice of landscape architecture in our state:

 

Welcome to the 21th piece of my Trustee report series where I share a few notes and items from our national organization over the last month or so. Remind people who may have lapsed in their membership to rejoin and that payment options are available. Please feel free to contact me at Trustee@FLASLA.org if you have any questions or concerns about ASLA issues.

 

All ASLA Members with ten or more continuous years of Full Membership are eligible for Fellowship in the Society. The Florida Chapter Fellows Committee wants to know if you believe you are electable to the ASLA Council of Fellows https://www.asla.org/fellows.aspx , or if you want to suggest to the Committee another eligible Member you think is electable. Any eligible Member whom the Committee believes can be elected, can be nominated by the Florida Chapter ASLA Executive Committee. Only eligible members with a strong likelihood of being elected will be recommended for nomination.

 

Project 50 was passed on to the HALS Chair. Since then, Fred Stresau, Ted Baker, and Jack Lieber have contributed their oral histories. The ASLA Florida Chapter HALS program is undertaking a process of oral history gathering, focusing on the stories of key landscape architects and places designed by them from the past 50 years. All Florida Fellows and senior landscape architects are invited and encouraged to contribute their oral histories to this worthy project. If you would lie to contribute, or know someone who does, please contact the HALS Chair:hals@flasla.org

 

SB 1050 by Senator Brandes; HB 1187 by Representative Grant These bills are intended to reduce and streamline regulations for regulated professions. As it pertains to landscape architects, they eliminate the need to pay a fee and receive a certificate of authorization for corporations. This will save firms money. However, they do not eliminate or reduce any of the substantive requirements for corporations in the practice act. Additionally, they deregulate the installation of low-voltage lighting, which currently requires a specialty certification to install.

 

Need to take the L.A.R.E.? Want to review with your peers and professionals? If so, now's the perfect time to join the annual review seminar! When: Friday March 4 - Saturday March 5 Where: Atkins 482 South Keller Road Orlando, FL 32810 TO REGISTER: http://www.flasla.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=768284