HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

                     HB 1361

Brief Description:  Regulating electricians and electrical installations.

Sponsors:   Representatives Clements, Skinner and Honeyford

                  Hearing:  February 13, 1997

BACKGROUND:

The Department of Labor and Industries administers the electrical contractor licensing statutes.  The department issues journeyman electrician certificates of competency, and speciality electrician certificates of competency to qualified individuals who wish to engage in the electrical construction trade.

An applicant for a journeyman certificate must meet certain eligibility requirements to take an examination to establish his or her competency in the electrical construction trade. An applicant must have four years of full-time work in the electrical construction trade; two years of which must be under the direct supervision of a certified journeyman electrician, and two years supervised work in all specialities. The applicant must also successfully complete an apprenticeship program.

To be eligible to sit for the speciality electrician=s examination, an applicant must successfully complete  an apprenticeship program, and a minimum of two years supervised full-time work in the speciality.  The applicant must also successfully complete an apprenticeship program.

An applicant may be allowed to substitute two years of technical school for two years of experience.

U.S. armed forces training in electrical construction also establish an applicant=s eligibility to take the journeyman, or the speciality electrician=s examinations.

Graduates of Aa trade school program in the electrical construction trade established during 1946" are eligible to take both the journeymen electrician=s, and the specialty electrician=s examinations (Athe Perry Institute exemption@).

An electrical apprentice may work in the electrical construction trade if directly supervised by a certified journeyman or certified specialty electrician. Established are ratio requirements of apprentices to certified journeyman electricians or certified speciality electricians. From September 1, 1979, to December 31, 1982, the ratio of apprentices to certified journeyman electricians or speciality electricians is three to one, from January 1, 1983, the ratio is two to one, and from January 1, 1983, the ratio is one to one. The ratio requirements do not apply to graduates of the Perry Institute.

In 1992 the Court of Appeals invalidated the Perry exemption on the ground the exemption created a single entity classification which violated the privileges and immunities clause of the state constitution.

SUMMARY OF BILL:

Revises the requirements for candidates to take the journeyman electrician=s or the speciality electrician=s examinations.

Eligibility requirements for an applicant to  take the examination for a journeyman electrician certificate, and a speciality electrician certificate require successful completion of an electrical construction apprenticeship program approved by the Work Force Training and Education Coordinating Board.

The ratio requirements of apprentices to certified journeyman electricians, or speciality electricians do not apply to electrical construction trade school programs approved by the Work Force Training and Education Coordinating Board.

A non resident applicant for a certificate of competency must possess equivalent qualifications to those required for resident applicants.

RULES AUTHORITY:  The bill does not contain provisions addressing the rule-making powers of an agency.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not requested.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  Ninety days after of adjournment of session in which bill is passed.