SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 5248
As Reported By Senate Committee On:
Labor, Commerce & Financial Institutions, March 5, 2001
Title: An act relating to expanding membership of the electrical board by appointment of one outside line worker.
Brief Description: Expanding membership of the electrical board by appointment of one outside line worker.
Sponsors: Senators Kline, Fairley and B. Sheldon.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Labor, Commerce & Financial Institutions: 2/1/01, 3/5/01 [DPS, DNP].
SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, COMMERCE & FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5248 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.
Signed by Senators Prentice, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Fairley, Franklin, Patterson, Rasmussen and Regala.
Minority Report: Do not pass.
Signed by Senators Benton, Hochstatter and Honeyford.
Staff: Elizabeth Mitchell (786‑7430)
Background: State electrical board members are appointed by the Governor and serve four-year terms. Board members advise the Director of the Department of Labor and Industries on installation standards, inspection procedures, and the adoption of rules pertaining to electrical inspections. Currently the electrical board has 14 members.
Summary of Substitute Bill: A position to be filled by an outside line worker or a cable worker is added to the membership of the electrical board, increasing the membership of the board to 15.
Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: In the original version of the bill, an additional position was created for an outside line worker. In the substitute bill, this position can be filled by either an outside line worker or a cable worker.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Testimony For: Outside line workers are a part of the electrical industry and should be represented on the board. Since telecommunications activities now fall under the electrical board, outside line workers should be represented on the board.
Testimony Against: Outside line workers are not licensed by the Department of Labor and Industries, so they should not be included on the electrical board. The composition of the board was worked out last year during the telecommunications bill; if another member were added to the board, this would upset the balance of the board.
Testified: Frank Warnke, Michael Zenk, Richard Kin, David Timothy, IBEW (pro); Gary Stevens, Independent Business Association (con); Larry Stevens, National Electrical Contractors Association (con); Clarion Turner, Washington State Electrical Contractors Association (con).