Legislation requiring structural engineering licensure has historically coincided with disasters (naturla or man-made) that served as a catalist:

• The State of Illinois passed the first Structural  Engineering act in 1915 following a great fire that destroyed much of Chicago
• The State of California passed its SE act following the 1933 Long Beach earthquake
• The State of Washington passed its SE act following the 1949 earthquake
• The State of Massachusetts adopted requirements for the engineer of record to conduct inspections following a collapse
• The State of Oregon passed its SE simultaneously with a small earthquake