THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

170

THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to electricians and plumbers.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the dangers to the public, workers, and property that are associated with electrical and plumbing work require careful regulations and standards.  Licensing of persons in the electrical and plumbing trade is important to ensure proper qualifications, training, and identification of those performing electrical and plumbing work.  Apprenticeship is an important tool to develop a well-trained workforce.  Licensing regulations for apprentices will enhance the life, health, and safety of all workers on construction sites, as well as homeowners and the general public, by ensuring proper registration and identification of electrician and plumber apprentices.  Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to establish license requirements for electrician apprentices and plumbing apprentices.

     SECTION 2.  Section 448E-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding two new definitions to be appropriately inserted and to read as follows:

     ""Electrician apprentice" means any person who is:

     (1)  Licensed to perform electrical work, within the scope of, and only under the direct supervision of a licensed journey worker electrician, journey worker industrial electrician, journey worker specialty electrician, supervising electrician, supervising industrial electrician, supervising specialty electrician, or maintenance electrician; and

     (2)  Is participating, through employment, in a program with an apprenticeship agreement approved by and registered with the department of labor and industrial relations in accordance with chapter 372.

     "Plumber apprentice" means any person who is:

     (1)  Licensed to perform plumbing work, within the scope of, and only under the direct supervision of a licensed journey worker plumber, or master plumber; and

     (2)  Is participating, through employment, in a program with an apprenticeship agreement approved by and registered with the department of labor and industrial relations in accordance with chapter 372."

     SECTION 3.  Section 448E-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§448E-4  Powers and duties of board.  In addition to any other powers and duties authorized by law, the board shall have all the powers and duties necessary or convenient to carry out and effectuate this chapter, including but not limited to the following powers and duties:

     (1)  To grant licenses [which] that shall be renewable for:

          (A)  Journey worker electricians;

          (B)  Journey worker specialty electricians;

          (C)  Supervising electricians;

          (D)  Supervising specialty electricians;

          (E)  Master plumbers;

          (F)  Journey worker plumbers;

          (G)  Maintenance electricians;

          (H)  Journey worker industrial electricians; [and]

          (I)  Supervising industrial electricians;

          (J)  Electrician apprentices; and

          (K)  Plumber apprentices;

     (2)  To adopt, amend, or repeal rules in accordance with chapter 91 as it may deem proper to effectuate this chapter and to insure the safety and welfare of the general public; provided that the rules may forbid acts or practices deemed by the board to be detrimental to the accomplishment of the purpose of this chapter;

     (3)  To enforce this chapter and rules adopted pursuant to this chapter and chapter 91, including the denial, suspension, or revocation of any license; and

     (4)  To examine all applicants and licensees to determine their qualifications prior to the issuance or renewal of licenses."

     SECTION 4.  Section 448E-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b), an applicant shall possess the following minimum qualifications:

     (1)  Journey worker electrician:  To be eligible for the journey worker electrician examination, an applicant shall be at least eighteen years of age and shall provide satisfactory evidence of experience in residential or commercial wiring of at least five years full-time or its equivalent, but not less than ten thousand hours, in the trade under the supervision of a journey worker or supervising electrician;

     (2)  Journey worker specialty electrician:  To be eligible for the journey worker specialty electrician examination, an applicant shall be at least eighteen years of age and shall provide satisfactory evidence of at least five years' experience in the trade;

     (3)  Supervising electrician:  To be eligible for the supervising electrician examination, an applicant shall have been registered with the board as a journey worker electrician for at least a period of four years or shall have equivalent experience in the trade;

     (4)  Supervising specialty electrician:  To be eligible for the supervising specialty electrician examination, an applicant shall have been registered with the board as a journey worker specialty electrician for at least a period of four years or shall have equivalent experience in the trade;

     (5)  Journey worker plumber:  To be eligible for the journey worker plumber examination, an applicant shall provide satisfactory evidence of experience of at least five years' full-time or its equivalent, but not less than ten thousand hours, as a journey worker's or master plumber's helper;

     (6)  Master plumber:  To be eligible for the master plumber examination, an applicant shall have been registered with the board as a journey worker plumber for at least two years or shall have equivalent experience in the trade;

     (7)  Maintenance electrician:  To be eligible for the maintenance electrician examination, an applicant shall be not less than eighteen years of age and shall provide satisfactory evidence of at least one year of experience in performing electrical maintenance work or two years of schooling in the electrical trade;

     (8)  Journey worker industrial electrician:  To be eligible for the journey worker industrial electrician examination, an applicant shall be at least eighteen years of age and shall provide satisfactory evidence of experience in industrial electrical work of at least five years full-time or its equivalent, but not less than ten thousand hours;

     (9)  Supervising industrial electrician:  To be eligible for the supervising industrial electrician examination, an applicant shall have been registered with the board as a journey worker industrial electrician for a period of at least four years or shall have equivalent experience in the trade[.];

    (10)  Electrician Apprentice:  To be eligible for the electrician apprentice license, an applicant shall, upon registration and payment of application and registration fees, provide evidence of participation in an approved electrical apprenticeship program registered with the department of labor and industrial relations in accordance with chapter 372; or

    (11)  Plumber Apprentice:  To be eligible for the plumber apprentice license, an applicant shall, upon registration and payment of application and registration fees, provide evidence of participation in an approved plumbing apprenticeship program registered with the department of labor and industrial relations in accordance with chapter 372."

     SECTION 5.  Section 448E-9, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:

     "(a)  No person shall act or assume to act as a journey worker electrician, journey worker specialty electrician, supervising electrician, supervising specialty electrician, journey worker plumber, master plumber, maintenance electrician, journey worker industrial electrician, [or] supervising industrial electrician, electrician apprentice, or plumber apprentice, or advertise or hold the person's self out as an electrician or plumber, without a license previously obtained in compliance with this chapter and the rules of the board; provided that any person may perform emergency plumbing repair work in the person's principal place of residence when such repairs do not involve or require rearrangement of valves, pipes, or fixtures; provided further that no such emergency repairs may be performed on sewer lines, drains, gas lines, and on fixtures being served with backflow devices which include heaters, water closets, dishwashers, and garbage disposal units.

     For purposes of this subsection:

     "Electrician" means any person who performs electrical work and includes but is not limited to any person who acts as a journey worker electrician, journey worker specialty electrician, supervising electrician, supervising specialty electrician, maintenance electrician, journey worker industrial electrician, [or] supervising industrial electrician[.], or electrician apprentice.

     "Plumber" means any person who performs plumbing work and includes but is not limited to any person who acts as a journey worker plumber [or], master plumber[.], or plumber apprentice.

     (b)  [An apprentice or] A trainee learning the trade of a person licensed under this chapter shall not be required to have a license if the [apprentice or] trainee acts under the supervision of a person appropriately licensed under this chapter[.]; provided that an electrician apprentice or plumber apprentice shall not supervise a trainee or any person learning the trade of a person licensed under this chapter."

     SECTION 6.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 7.  This Act shall take effect on January 1, 3000.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Electricians and Plumbers; Apprentice License

 

Description:

Establishes license requirements for electrician apprentices and plumber apprentices.  Effective 1/1/3000.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.