SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6607

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Commerce & Trade, February 6, 2004

Title: An act relating to directing the department of labor and industries to develop a plan to transfer the regulation of heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration specialty contractors from the electrical board.

Brief Description: Developing a plan to transfer regulation of HVAC specialty contractors from the electrical board.

Sponsors: Senators Honeyford and T. Sheldon.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Commerce & Trade: 2/4/04, 2/6/04 [DP, DNP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & TRADE

Majority Report: Do pass.

      Signed by Senators Honeyford, Chair; Hewitt, Vice Chair; and Mulliken.

Minority Report: Do not pass.

      Signed by Senators Franklin and Keiser.

Staff: John Dziedzic (786-7784)

Background: The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) must consult with the Electrical Board before adopting rules on all matters pertaining to standards for electrical and telecommunications work.

Under the rules adopted with the board's advice, a number of specialty classifications are defined, along with a detailed scope of authorized work for each specialty. In addition to the general electrical license classification, which authorizes a licensee to do work on all phases and types of electrical and telecommunications installation, there are the following specialty classifications: residential installations (up to three floors); pumps and irrigation (including domestic wells); signs; limited energy systems (including heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration, fire as well as intrusion alarms, etc.); nonresidential maintenance; restricted nonresidential maintenance; appliance repair; equipment repair; telecommunications; and doors, gates and similar systems.

Summary of Bill: By December 31, 2004, L&I must develop and submit a plan to the Legislature to create a board, separate from the Electrical Board, to advise L&I on the development of a non-duplicative regulatory scheme to define and govern the heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration industry.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: HVAC/R companies are generally the best qualified to perform the wide range of work involved in the installation and maintenance of a heating and ventilating system, of which only a small part falls under the jurisdiction of the Electrical Board. HVAC/R systems are more than just heating and cooling, they perform an integral life safety function in the event of a fire -- but only if installed correctly. A board with regulatory authority over all of what HVAC/R entails would be less burdensome and provide greater consistency throughout the state.

Testimony Against: There has been no study to determine whether a separate board for HVAC is really needed. Creating a separate board for HVAC/R not only opens the door for a proliferation of other trades to break off from the Electrical Board, but is inconsistent with the proposal, under consideration this session, to add a HVAC/R representative to the Electrical Board.

Testified: PRO: Tena Risley, Greg Nolan, Inland NW HVAC Assoc.; Charles Mulcahy, Sheet Metal Workers Local 66; Kathleen Collins, Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Contractors; CON: Richard King, IBEW Local 46.