FINAL BILL REPORT

                 ESHB 1361

                         C 309 L 97

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Regulating electricians and electrical installations.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Commerce & Labor (originally sponsored by  Representatives Clements, Skinner and Honeyford).

House Committee on Commerce & Labor

Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor

Background:  The Department of Labor and Industries administers the electrical contractor licensing statutes.  The department issues journeyman electrician certificates of competency and speciality electrician certificates of competency to qualified individuals who wish to engage in the electrical construction trade.

An applicant for a journeyman certificate must meet certain eligibility requirements to take an examination to establish his or her competency in the electrical construction trade. An applicant must have four years of full-time supervised work in the electrical construction trade or have successfully completed an apprenticeship program in the electrical construction trade.  An applicant may be allowed to substitute two years of technical school for two years of supervised experience.

In addition, graduates of Aa trade school program in the electrical construction trade established during 1946" are eligible to take the journeyman electricians= examination (the APerry Institute exemption@).

An electrical apprentice may work in a nonspecialty area in the electrical construction trade if directly supervised by a certified journeyman on a one-to-one ratio. The ratio requirement does not apply to graduates of the Perry Institute=s program.

In 1992, the Washington Court of Appeals invalidated the Perry Institute exemption on the ground the exemption created a single entity classification which violated the privileges and immunities clause of the state constitution.

The Department of Labor and Industries also administers the regulation of electrical installations.  The director of the department appoints an electrical inspector and assistant inspectors for this purpose.

Summary:  The ratio of non-certified students to certified journeyman electricians working on a job site must be one certified journeyman electrician to four students.  The students must be enrolled in public community and technical schools or working as part of an electrical construction program at not-for-profit nationally accredited trade or technical  schools licensed by the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board.  In meeting the ratio requirements, a trade school may receive input and advice from the Electrical Board.

An electrician from another jurisdiction applying for a certificate of competency must provide evidence to the Department of Labor and Industries that he or she has qualifications equal to those established under Washington=s electrician certificate of competency law.

An applicant for the journeyman certificate of competency examination who has successfully completed a two-year electrical construction trade program at public community or technical colleges or at not-for-profit nationally accredited trade school may substitute up to two years of the school=s program for two years of work experience under a journeyman electrician.  The trade or technical school must be licensed by the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board and accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology

The director of the Department of Labor and Industries is directed to appoint a chief electrical inspector who must provide the final interpretation of electrical standards, rules, and policies, subject to review by the director. Minimum education and experience qualifications for electrical inspectors are established.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  92 2

Senate 46 0 (Senate amended)

House  89 0 (House concurred)

Effective:July 27,  1997