Policy Advisory Committee

Policy Matters: How GPN's Policy Advisory Committee Supports GIS Professionals

Professionalism in GIS goes beyond technical skills—it involves continuous learning, ethical practice, peer recognition, and contributing to the growth and governance of the field. One of the most impactful, yet often overlooked, ways GIS professionals can contribute is through policy engagement. That’s where GPN’s Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) plays a vital role.

What Makes GIS a Profession?

Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) professionals (GISPs) share the same core tenets as other recognized professions:

• Advanced training and demonstrated competence
  
• Ethical standards and public accountability
  
• Ongoing education and skill development
  
• Contributions to the broader professional community
  

Earning a GISP certification is just the beginning. Remaining engaged and informed—especially on the policies shaping our work—is essential for staying current in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

The Role of the Policy Advisory Committee

GPN’s Policy Advisory Committee tracks emerging legislation, regulations, and public initiatives that affect GIS professionals at local, state, national, and even international levels. The PAC advises the GPN Board of Directors and regularly recommends actions to the broader GPN membership.

Here are just a few of the key areas where the PAC is actively shaping the future of GIS:

🧭 Surveying & GIS: Bridging the Gap

GIS and land surveying increasingly overlap due to advances in GPS/GNSS, LiDAR, drone data, and high-resolution imagery. However, state regulations often use outdated definitions that don’t reflect today’s tools and workflows.

The PAC has collaborated with the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS) and the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) to help modernize the Model Laws and Rules for Surveying, which many states adopt as templates.

📘 Recommended Resource: Defining the Boundaries of Practice Between Surveyors and GIS Professionals – URISA White Paper (2018)

🌐 Broadband Mapping & Access

Under the FCC Broadband DATA Act, maps are used to determine where federal broadband funding is allocated. However, these maps are often contested by local governments due to inaccuracies. GIS professionals can play a crucial role in ensuring broadband data reflects reality—advocating for better data and supporting equitable internet access in underserved communities.

🗳️ Census & Redistricting

GIS is central to fair and equitable redistricting. The 2020 U.S. Census provided critical data that shaped congressional boundaries, and it’s never too early to look ahead to 2030.

GPN participates in The Census Project and supports GIS professionals through resources like URISA’s nonpartisan guide:

📘 Recommended Resource: Redistricting: A Guide for the GIS Community

🗺️ National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI)

GPN (formerly URISA) is a founding member of the Coalition of Geospatial Organizations (COGO) and actively contributes to the ongoing NSDI Assessment.

GPN is leading the evaluation of the Addressing Theme and played a key role in its addition to the original seven NSDI framework themes.

2024 NSDI Assessment

This collaborative effort evaluates how federal, state, tribal, regional, and local governments, along with private and academic partners, are advancing the nation’s geospatial capabilities.

Why Policy Engagement Matters

Policy affects GIS professionals at every level:

• Access to data
  
• Legal scope of practice
  
• Funding for infrastructure and services
  
• Public trust and transparency
  
  

Through GPN’s PAC, GIS professionals have a direct line to shape the policies that shape their work.

Get Involved

Being a geospatial professional is about active engagement. GPN provides the platform and community for professionals to:

• Influence national geospatial policy
  
• Collaborate with peers and government agencies
  
• Contribute to white papers, comment periods, and working groups
  
• Stay informed about the issues that matter most

🚀 Join the Geospatial Professional Network today—it’s the professional thing to do.

👉 Learn more and join the PAC - check out the Groups within GPN Connect!

Call to Action - What can you do now?

(August 2025) Preserving Critical Geospatial Data - Express your concern with recent policy changes that are severely disrupting the collection, storage, and availability of geospatial data. Urge your Senators and Representatives to reinstate all discontinued geospatial (map-based) data collection and distribution activities. The PAC and GPN Board have provided suggested verbiage in this letter.