Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Labor & Workforce Development Committee |
HB 2500
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Requiring completion of an apprenticeship program to receive a journeyman or residential specialty electrician certificate of competency.
Sponsors: Representatives Reykdal, Tarleton, Sells, Ormsby, Fitzgibbon, Morrell, Roberts and Riccelli.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 1/23/14
Staff: Joan Elgee (786-7106).
Background:
An electrical contractor license is required to engage in the business of installing or maintaining wires or equipment to convey electric current, or equipment to be operated by electric current. To work as an electrician, an individual must have a journey level (01) or specialty electrician certificate of competency. The specialties include residential (02), limited energy (06), and other specialties.
To be certified as a journey level electrician, an individual must work in the electrical construction trade for at least 8,000 hours under supervision to take the required examination. For the residential specialty certificate, the applicant must work in the specialty for at least 4,000 hours under supervision to take the examination.
An applicant for a journey level or any of the electrical specialties certificates may alternatively complete an apprenticeship program approved by the state Apprenticeship Council.
An applicant who has completed a two-year program at a community or technical college or technical or trade school may substitute up to two years of the school program for two years of work experience. Training in the electrical construction trade in the military may also be credited as work experience.
To obtain the necessary work experience to become a journey level or specialty electrician, persons must obtain an electrical training certificate, and in general, trainees must work under the supervision of a journey level or the appropriate specialty electrician.
The Department of Labor and Industries (Department) issues licenses and certificates of competency and otherwise administers the regulation of electricians and electrical work.
Summary of Bill:
Beginning July 1, 2019, applicants for a journey level (01) or residential specialty (02) electrician certificate of competency must complete an apprenticeship program to take the examination. The applicant must have worked under supervision for a minimum of 8,000 hours for the journey level certificate or 4,000 hours for the residential specialty certificate.
Applicants may substitute school or military experience for the work experience required under an apprenticeship program. Trainees must be either in an apprenticeship program, learning a specialty other than residential, or learning the trade in a school program.
Until July 1, 2021, the Department may permit an applicant who obtained experience and training equivalent to an apprenticeship program to take the journey level or residential specialty examination, as appropriate, if the applicant demonstrates good cause for not completing the required minimum hours of work before the new apprenticeship requirements took effect.
Obsolete language in several statutes is deleted and obsolete terminology is updated.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.