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A.  A person who presents himself as, or advertises as, engaging in the arborist profession shall be required to obtain a license which shall subject that person to the following provisions:

(1)  An arborist’s license authorizes the holder thereof to recommend or execute the following measures:

(a)  The removal of a tree or a portion of a tree.

(b)  Measures to prolong the life of a tree.

(c)  Measures to enhance the aesthetic value of a tree.

(2)  For license renewal, each arborist is required to attend a continuing training seminar as determined by rule by the commission.

B.  Retail florists shall be subject to the following provisions:

(1)  A retail florist’s license authorizes the holder thereof to arrange or supervise the arrangement of floral designs which include living or freshly cut plant materials and to sell at retail floral designs, cut flowers, and ornamental plants in pots normally and customarily sold by florists.

(2)  Each person who engages in the profession of retail floristry shall have a regular employee at each place of business who is a licensed retail florist and whose license shall be on display at all times during the hours business is conducted in that profession.

(3)  Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection (2), an individual who is a licensed florist and who owns his own floral business may operate a vending machine at a location remote from the individual’s place of business for the sale of cut flowers and floral designs, subject to all of the following restrictions:

(a)(i)  No individual shall operate more than five vending machines at any time.

(ii)  When a floral business is operated by two or more licensed florists, the floral business shall be limited to five vending machines, regardless of the number of licensed florists who are employed by the floral business.

(b)  A licensee shall obtain a cut flower permit for each vending machine.

(c)  The following shall be prominently displayed inside the vending machine in plain view or on each vending machine:

(i)  The name of the licensed florist.

(ii)  The address and telephone number, which is on record with the commission, of the individual owning or operating the vending machine.

(d)  The cut flowers and floral designs sold from the vending machine shall be inspected or arranged by a licensed florist or under the supervision of a licensed florist at the owner’s place of business prior to placement in the vending machine.

(e)  The vending machine is monitored in person or electronically by a licensed florist or an individual under the direct supervision of a licensed florist at least once each business day and serviced as needed.

(4)  The commission may adopt rules and regulations governing the profession of retail florist, including rules and regulations providing for the operation, location and monitoring of vending machines and for the quality, freshness, longevity, and freedom from injurious insects, diseases, or other pests, of cut flowers, floral designs, and ornamental plants in pots sold by a licensed florist.

(5)  The provisions of this Subsection shall not apply to persons who arrange or sell floral designs composed entirely of artificial materials, or dried plant materials, or both.

(6)  Individuals licensed to operate vending machines shall not operate them outside of the parish more than twenty-five miles beyond their place of business.

C.  A wholesale florist’s license authorizes the holder thereof to prepare and sell cut flowers, plant materials, and ornamental plants in pots normally and customarily used by retail florists to persons who hold a retail florist’s license and to prepare and sell cut flowers to persons who hold a cut flower dealer’s permit.  A wholesale florist’s license shall not authorize the holder thereof to arrange or sell floral designs.

D.  A landscape horticulturist’s license authorizes the holder to do the following:

(1)  Implement plans, studies, surveys, specifications, and designs prepared by a licensed landscape architect.

(2)  Recommend and implement measures for interior and exterior beautification and development through the use of nursery stock.

(3)  Sell or lease nursery stock and to recommend and execute measures for the maintenance of nursery stock.  Each landscape horticulturist may use his license for the sale or lease of nursery stock from only one place of business. The license shall be on display at all times during the hours nursery stock is sold.

(4)  Prepare drawings to indicate the placement of nursery stock.  Each drawing shall include the name and license number of the landscape horticulturist who prepared the drawing.  No fee shall be charged for preparing a drawing.  A landscape horticulturist may use a drawing prepared by him in connection with the submission of a bid proposal.  A drawing shall not be used by any person to solicit bids for the sale of materials or rendering of services regulated by the Commission.

E.  Landscape architects shall be subject to the following provisions:

(1)  A landscape architect’s license authorizes the holder thereof to perform professional services such as consultation, investigation, research, preparation of general development and detailed landscape design plans, studies, specifications, and responsible supervision in connection with the development of landscape areas where, and to the extent that, the principal purpose of the service is to arrange and modify the effects of natural scenery for aesthetic effect, considering the intended use of the land.  Such services concern the arrangement of natural forms, features, and plantings, including the ground and water forms, vegetation, circulation, walks, and other landscape features to fulfill aesthetic and practical requirements.

(2)  In order to accomplish the duties described in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, the landscape architect may prepare feasibility studies; formulate graphic and written criteria to govern the aesthetic and practical planning and design of land construction programs; prepare, review, and analyze plans for aesthetic and practical land use and development; produce landscape plans, landscape grading and landscape drainage plans, landscape irrigation plans, planting plans, and related landscape construction details, specifications, estimates of probable costs, and reports for aesthetic and practical land use; collaborate in the design of pleasing and practical settings and approaches for vehicular and pedestrian circulation systems, bridges, and nonhabitable structures, all with respect to the practical and aesthetic requirements of the areas on which they are to be placed; negotiate and arrange for execution of landscape projects; and conduct field observation of landscape construction, restoration, and maintenance.

(3)  Nothing in this Subsection shall permit any person licensed under this Subsection to perform professional services which are defined as the practice of architecture in La. Rev. Stat. 37:141 et seq., or the practice of engineering or land surveying in La. Rev. Stat. 37:681 et seq., and which are not included in the practice of landscape architecture under this Subsection.  Nothing in this Subsection shall prohibit the practice of engineering or land surveying or the practice of architecture by any person who is licensed as a professional engineer or land surveyor under La. Rev. Stat. 37:681 et seq., or as an architect under La. Rev. Stat. 37:141 et seq.

(4)  In order to qualify to take the national landscape architect examination, the applicant shall meet the minimum qualification standards approved by the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards, or its successor.

(5)  In order to qualify to take the Louisiana Landscape Architect Examination, the applicant shall submit evidence of passing the national examination prepared by the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards, or its successor.

(6)  The commission shall issue each licensed landscape architect a permanent registration number.

(7)  Each landscape architect shall affix his seal to all drawings or specifications prepared by or under the direct supervision of the landscape architect.

(8)  The seals used by landscape architects shall meet the specifications determined by rule by the commission.

F.  Repealed by Acts 2008, No. 63, §2, eff. June 5, 2008.

G.  Each person licensed under the provisions of this Chapter shall meet the professional standards determined by the commission for each profession and shall notify the commission of each change in the address of the residence or place of business of the license holder.

H.  A nursery stock dealer’s permit authorizes the holder thereof to sell nursery stock.  A nursery stock dealer’s permit shall not authorize the holder thereof to install nursery stock.

I.  A cut flower dealer’s permit authorizes the holder to do any of the following:

(1)  Sell cut flowers either singly or in bunches, or both.  However, the holder of a cut flower permit may not sell cut flowers within three hundred feet of the place of business of another person engaged in the profession of retail florist.

(2)  Operate under that permit a vending machine for the sale of cut flowers and floral design in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter and the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this Chapter, if the holder is engaged in the profession of retail florist.

J.  Each person issued a permit under the provisions of this Chapter shall meet the occupational standards determined by the commission for each occupation and shall notify the commission of each change in the address of the permit holder.

K.  Each person who holds a valid Louisiana Nursery Certificate Permit may use that permit in lieu of a nursery stock dealer’s permit, or a cut flower dealer’s permit, or both, at any one outlet.

L.  Each nursery stock dealer and cut flower dealer shall secure an appropriate permit for each outlet operated by the dealer.

M.  Each license and permit issued under the provisions of this Chapter shall expire on January thirty-first of each year and may be renewed in accordance with rules adopted by the commission.

N.  Each holder of a license or permit issued under the provisions of this Chapter shall present such license or permit upon demand of any authorized agent of the horticulture commission.

O.  Utility arborists shall be subject to the following provisions:

(1)  A utility arborist’s license authorizes the holder thereof to recommend or execute the removal of trees or portions of trees along utility rights of way.

(2)  For license renewal, each utility arborist is required to attend a continuing training seminar as determined by rule by the commission.

P.  Landscape irrigation contractors shall be subject to the following provisions:

(1)  Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, a landscape irrigation contractor‘s license authorizes the holder to construct, install, connect, repair, maintain, improve, or alter any portion of a landscape irrigation system, including the required wiring within that system, and to install and connect the landscape irrigation system to the required power supply and to a public or private water supply system.

(2)  For license renewal, each landscape irrigation contractor shall obtain continuing training as determined by rule of the commission.

(3)  He shall request and be issued any necessary permits from any governing authority.

(4)  Prior to connecting to a public or private water supply system, a licensed landscape irrigation contractor shall obtain a water supply protection specialist endorsement from the State Plumbing Board.  The State Plumbing Board shall issue a special endorsement of a water supply protection specialist to any licensed landscape irrigation contractor who completes the training required by the State Plumbing Board as provided for in La. Rev. Stat. 37:1368(H)(1); however, neither a journeyman plumber’s license nor a master plumber’s license shall be required.

(5)  Backflow prevention devices shall be installed in accordance with the provisions of Part XIV of the Louisiana State Sanitary Code by a person holding a water supply protection specialist endorsement.

(6)  Nothing in this Subsection shall permit any licensed landscape irrigation contractor to perform any electrical or plumbing services not provided for in this Subsection, for which a license is required from any other regulatory board.  Nothing in this Subsection shall prohibit a licensed electrician or plumber from providing electrical or plumbing services necessary to make or keep an irrigation system operational.

Acts 1987, No. 844, §1; Acts 1988, No. 231, §1; Acts 1992, No. 60, §1; Acts 2004, No. 810, §1, eff. July 12, 2004; Acts 2008, No. 63, §§1, 2, eff. June 5, 2008; Acts 2008, No. 227, §1, eff. June 16, 2008; Acts 2010, No. 495, §1, eff. June 24, 2010; Acts 2013, No. 103, §1.