HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 634

BYRepresentatives R. King,  Winsley, Patrick, Fisch, Fisher, Allen, Sayan, Day, Lux, Miller, Betrozoff and Hankins

Prohibiting employment of individuals without required plumbing certificates.

House Committe on Commerce & Labor

Majority Report:     The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (10)

     Signed by Representatives Wang, Chair; Cole, Vice Chair; Fisch, Fisher, R. King, Patrick, O'Brien, Sayan, C. Smith and Walker.

Minority Report:     Do not pass.  (1)

     Signed by Representative Sanders.

House Staff:Chris Cordes (786-7117)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR MARCH 4, 1987

BACKGROUND:

Certificates of competency, temporary permits or training permits with authorized supervision are required for all persons who engage in the trade of plumbing.  Working as a plumber without the required certificate, permit or supervision is an infraction subject to a monetary penalty.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  An employer may not hire a person to perform work in the trade of plumbing unless the person has a journeyman plumbing certificate, specialty plumbing certificate, training certificate, or temporary permit.  Employing a person in violation of this provision is an infraction.  The Department of Labor and Industries may issue a notice of infraction for a violation to either the employer, the employee or both.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  The substitute bill adds training certificates as one of the certificates or permits under which a person must be qualified to be hired to perform work in the plumbing trade.

Fiscal Note:    Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:     Dick Bever, Washington Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters; Bob Dilger, Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council; Artie Robersen, Department of Labor and Industries.

House Committee - Testified Against: Scott Madison.

House Committee - Testimony For:     To enforce the plumbing certification law, the Department of Labor and Industries needs to be able to cite employers who send employees to job sites to perform plumbing work when the employee is not certified for plumbing work. Under present law, only the employee who is working without certification will be found in violation of the law.

House Committee - Testimony Against: If this change in the law is interpreted to mean that employers may hire only journeymen plumbers to do laborers' work, it will be costly to employers.