Left to Right: John Nicolaus, FASLA (ASLA Sierra Chapter), is president of the California Council of the American Society of Landscape Architects (CCASLA); Jon Wreschinsky (ASLA San Diego Chapter) is CCASLA's government affairs liaison

On March 18, 2015, representatives of the California Council of the American Society of Landscape Architects (CCASLA)"?u John Nicolaus, FASLA, and Jon Wreschinsky, ASLA, testified before a joint session of the California State Senate and Assembly Business and Professions Committees.

The CCASLA https://tinyurl.com/pprnw3f works to advance the profession throughout the state, and serves as a coordinating body between the four state chapters: San Diego, Southern California, Sierra, and Northern California.

The legislative session was conducted to hear testimony and respond to prior solicitation for input on sunset of the Landscape Architects Technical Committee (LATC). Note: LATC superseded the Board of Landscape Architects on Jan. 1, 1998, and placed under the purview of the California Architects Board.

Testifying on behalf of CCASLA were John Nicolaus and Jon Wreschinsky, culminating several months of coordinated advocacy meetings of the four chapters to educate legislators and other decision makers on the importance of maintaining professional licensure for landscape architects in California, and the profession's role in planning and design. CCASLA lobbyist Terri Thomas tailored the advocacy message.

Nicolaus' and Wreschinsky's testimony focused on maintaining LATC, protecting the Landscape Architects Practice Act and the importance of active participation of LATC board members and administrators in the meetings and proceedings of the Council of Landscape Architecture Review Boards (CLARB) as a means to influence licensing procedures and reciprocity equity. Secondary issues included an examination of the path to licensure, with an emphasis on recognition of the breadth of the profession, and increased enforcement of practice laws.

An April 2015 decision is anticipated to extend the LATC sunset for another 4-5 years.

CCASLA's advocacy program will continue and remain focused on educating decision-makers on the role landscape architects can play in water conservation, storm water magagement, climate change, urban design and other planning issues. CCASLA is also focusing on helping small firms, including opposing direct taxation of business services.