] One of the oddest battles of the 78th Legislature is
] pitting Texas' licensed professional engineers against
] the high-tech industry's software dudes.
]
] At issue is just who in Texas can call himself an
] engineer.
]
] "It's one of the silliest issues we're having to deal
] with this session, but it's also one of the most
] important," said Steven Kester, legislative director of
] the American Electronics Association, an organization of
] computer companies.
]
] Texas has one of the nation's strictest engineering
] practices acts and limits the title of engineer to those
] people who have studied engineering and passed a
] licensing exam.
]
] And that law puts most of the "engineers" in the
] high-tech industry out of the field. Kester said the
] restriction threatens high-tech growth in Texas.

] Taylor said there are about 100,000 high-tech
] personnel in Texas who have "engineer" in their
] title, but they are not licensed by the state.
]
] "They risk fines of up to $3,000 a day for handing out
] business cards to a supplier or even dropping it in a
] fish bowl at a restaurant for a chance at a free
] lunch," Taylor said.