Sponsors: Senate Committee on Commerce & Trade (originally sponsored by Senator Swecker).

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

(As Amended by House Committee)

• Creates an exemption from electrical contractor licensing requirements if certified electricians and electrical trainees perform work for certain nonprofit organizations, they are not compensated for the work, and the value of the work does not exceed $30,000.

Majority Report: Do pass as amended. Signed by 8 members: Representatives Conway, Chair; Wood, Vice Chair; Condotta, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Crouse, Holmquist, Hudgins, Kenney and McCoy.

State law requires persons who engage in the business of installing or maintaining electrical wires or equipment to have either a general electrical contractor license or an appropriate specialty electrical contractor license. Exemptions from this licensing requirement include certain property owners and utilities, and certain work on motor vehicle systems and electric power generation equipment.

State law also requires persons who engage in the electrical construction trade to be certified as journey level electricians or appropriate specialty electricians. Property owners and electrical contractors must purchase electrical work permits for all electrical installations or alterations. The Department of Labor and Industries (Department), or the applicable city or town, must inspect such installations.

An electrical contractor license is not required when a certified electrician or a certified electrical trainee is performing electrical work for certain nonprofit organizations under specified conditions. The organizations are either nonprofit organizations exempt from federal income taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or nonprofit religious organizations. The conditions are that the electricians or trainees not be compensated for the electrical work, and that the cost of the electrical work must not exceed $30,000.

The electrical work may be performed by certified electrical trainees, as well as certified electricians. The cap on the value is $30,000 for the electrical work, instead of $200,000 for the project.

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

Testimony For: The Department is not opposed to this bill. The language may need some adjustment. For example, the language doesn't address properly supervised trainees that might perform volunteer work.