Path to Missouri Licensure

Historical Basics

The state licensure law was first enacted as a title act in 1989.  In 2001, the legislature enacted the upgrade to a practice act.  There is no regular sunset review process.

Organizing the Profession

The Missouri Association of Landscape Architects (MALA) was formed in 1962 (prior to both state chapters) to be the voice for landscape architects in Missouri related to attempts to pass legislation for landscape architectural licensure.  On several occasions, throughout the 60’s and 70’s, Missouri Landscape Architect pushed bills at Jefferson City.  Without professional lobbyists, these efforts all failed.  In the early 1980’s, Wayne Buggenhagen in St. Louis and Jeffrey Bruce in Kansas City realized that we needed a paid lobbyist and we needed a statewide organization.  MALA, which had been dormant for many years, was resurrected.  At the time, ASLA National advised all chapters that they could not conduct lobbying activities by directly paying a lobbyist.  MALA, since it was not an ASLA chapter, could however, provide compensation to the lobbyist.  More importantly, the legislators and the other professional organizations needed to know that the people promoting this bill were truly representing the profession throughout the state. 

As a result of several years of concerted effort; countless hours of testimony; dedicated sponsorship; and most importantly, a well-connected lobbyist; we got our bill passed.  While the original 1989 bill was a title act which regulated the use of the title of Landscape Architect, it defined the profession and allowed the establishment of rules and standards regarding the profession.  A Landscape Architecture Council was formed, the Governor appointed members, the board promulgated rules, and the first landscape architecture registrations were issued.  MALA continued to provide the statewide representation of landscape architects.  It was in the original title bill that MALA was tasked with the nominating professional board member candidates to the Governor for his consideration.

In 1996 and 1997, landscape architects began to explore the possibility of upgrading the title act to a practice act through a series of public meetings hosted by Representative Treadway.  The opponents of the proposed bill tried to imply that landscape architects did not have appropriate training or education to protect public health, safety, and welfare.  Landscape architects provided key documentation of the types of projects completed by landscape architects and the competency of landscape architects.  During the 2000 legislative session, Dennis Law, Dean of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at Kansas State University bolstered the case that landscape architect education and training requirements are equivalent to other licensed professions.  Throughout this period, MALA provided the overall statewide leadership for landscape architects.

With the passage of the Practice Act, the LA Council was dissolved, and the Landscape Architectural Division was created in the new Architects, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Landscape Architects (APELSLA) Board.  Bob Hartnett, Patti Banks, and Jerany Jackson were appointed to the board by the Governor.  MALA’s responsibilities have increased since our profession has been assimilated into the registration board.  The other design professions have active, professionally staffed organizations that monitor bills and issues that could impact their members.  Many of these issues are common to all design professions and it has become important for MALA to work along-side these organizations to support or defeat key legislation.

Legislative Changes to Licensure

In 2007, MALA proposed new legislation to require continuing education requirements of landscape architects.  This bill was supported by the allied professionals within APELSLA since it created continuing education requirements like those of the other design professionals.  MALA also assisted with the passage of legislation that allows the APELSLA Board to extract civil penalties from the unlicensed practice of one of the regulated design professions.

In 2009, MALA assisted our allied professions in the proposal of SB 296 which granted APELSLA the right to review and potentially not renew the license of a convicted felon.  SB 296 was passed.  In 2010 Governor Nixon sign legislation that granted landscape architect board members each a full vote on the board and a defined slot in the chairman rotation. This gave Landscape Architects greater parity on the board.

In 2014 extensive revisions to Chapter 327 RSMo went into effect via the passage of SB 809.  Refinements to definitions of each of the four professions as well as language related to incidental practice were more adequately defined.  This was the legislation that added “Professional” to the title of Landscape Architect. This legislation was supported by the APELSLA Board as well as the Design Alliance.

Periodically, there have been challenges to the need for Professional Landscape Architectural Licensure by individuals and groups in the form of proposed legislation.  With our firm relationships with the allied professions with the Design Alliance we have strong defenders of our profession.  Our MALA lobbyist works hand in hand with the lobbyists and professional staff from our Allied professions to not only alert MALA of potential threats, but also to assist with strategies to defend and protect the present licensure status.