Brief Description: Requiring construction contractors to display their licenses and certificates.

Sponsors: Representatives Moeller, Conway, Williams, Lovick, Green, Murray, Roberts and Cody.

Hearing Date: 1/25/06

Staff: Jill Reinmuth (786-7134).

Background:

The Department of Labor and Industries (Department) administers and enforces state laws governing certain construction-related trades. These laws require persons who perform electrical, plumbing, or conveyance work to have appropriate certificates of competency or licenses. Persons who perform such work without appropriate certificates or licenses, as well as persons who employ such them, are subject to civil penalties ranging from $250 to $500 for violations of the electrician certification requirement, $250 to $1000 for violations of the plumber certification requirement, and $500 for violations of the elevator mechanic licensing requirement.

Counties and cities enforce the state building code, which establishes minimum construction requirements. It is composed of building, residential, mechanical, fire, and plumbing model codes.

Summary of Bill:

The Legislature finds that dishonest contractors sometimes hire unlicensed and uncertified persons to perform electrical, plumbing, and conveyance work. This practice gives them an unfair competitive advantage. Requiring persons to visibly display their licenses and certificates will help address the problems of the underground economy in the construction industry.

Persons who are performing electrical, plumbing, or conveyance work must wear and visibly display their certificate or license while performing such work. They are not required to wear and display their license or certificate if doing so would create a danger or unsafe condition for the person or the public, so long as they can produce evidence of their license or certificate.

Counties and cities must refer "alleged or apparent" violations of the requirement that persons doing electrical, plumbing, and conveyance work wear and visibly display their license or certificate to the Department of Labor and Industries (Department) for investigation and appropriate enforcement action. The Department must investigate such referrals.

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

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.