READ FIRST TIME 02/07/08.   

     AN ACT Relating to certification of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration contractors and mechanics; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1)(a) A joint legislative task force on heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration is established, with members as provided in this subsection.
     (i) The chair and ranking minority member of the senate economic development, trade, and management committee;
     (ii) The chair and ranking minority member of the house commerce and labor committee;
     (iii) Four members representing the heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration industry, selected from nominations submitted by statewide business organizations representing a cross-section of industries and appointed jointly by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives; and
     (iv) Four members representing labor, selected from nominations submitted by statewide labor organizations representing a cross-section of industries and appointed jointly by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives.
     (b) In addition, the department of labor and industries shall cooperate with the joint legislative task force and maintain a liaison representative, who shall be a nonvoting member. The department shall cooperate with the joint legislative task force and provide information as the joint legislative task force may reasonably request.
     (c) The joint legislative task force shall choose its chair from among its membership.
     (2) The joint legislative task force shall review the following issues:
     (a) Requirements for registering, certifying, or licensing heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics;
     (b) Methods of registering or licensing contractors who qualify for two or more registrations or licenses;
     (c) Establishing at least three levels of HVAC/R mechanics, with the ability to be certified in several specialities including gas piping, sheet metal, and refrigeration;
     (d) The on-the-job experience requirements for each mechanic level;
     (e) The methods by which apprentices and other persons learning to perform heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration work obtain training certificates;
     (f) Exemptions to the registering, certification, or licensing requirements; and
     (g) Such other factors the joint legislative task force deems necessary.
     (3) Legislative members of the joint legislative task force shall be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120. Nonlegislative members, except those representing an employer or organization, are entitled to be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.
     (4) The expenses of the joint legislative task force shall be paid jointly by the senate and the house of representatives.
     (5) The joint legislative task force shall report its findings and recommendations to the legislature by January 1, 2009.
     (6) This section expires July 1, 2009.