SENATE BILL REPORT

SSB 5687

As Passed Senate, March 11, 2003

Title: An act relating to exempting certain medical devices from electrical licensing requirements.

Brief Description: Exempting the installation, maintenance, and repair of certain medical devices from electrician licensing requirements.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Commerce & Trade (originally sponsored by Senators Prentice, Honeyford, Shin and Rasmussen).

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Commerce & Trade: 2/13/03, 2/19/03 [DPS].

Passed Senate: 3/11/03, 49-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & TRADE

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5687 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Honeyford, Chair; Hewitt, Vice Chair; Franklin, Keiser and Mulliken.

Staff: Elizabeth Mitchell (786-7430)

Background: The Department of Labor and Industries regulates work on electrical equipment. Current law provides that medical devices approved for use by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are considered to be "in compliance" with electrical laws. Current department policy exempts FDA-approved medical devices from licensing, certification, permitting and inspections.

Summary of Bill: FDA-approved medical devices are exempt from electrical licensing, certification, permitting and inspections.

The exemption does not include work providing electrical feeds into the power distribution unit or installation of conduits and raceways. The work must be performed by factory engineers or third-party service companies who are qualified to perform the work.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: This bill would allow trained professionals to continue doing work on medical equipment without being regulated by the department. Requiring certification of these workers is not equitable since most already have four-year engineering degrees. If people had to be certified to perform this work, this would result in delays in patient care and would increase medical costs.

Testimony Against: The bill should specify that only factory-trained workers or certified electricians can perform this work.

Testified: PRO: Bob Gee, Martin Pallotta, GE Medical Systems; Louis Kuffel, Beckwith & Kuffel; CON: Janet Lewis, Dick King, IBEW 46; Larry Stevens, NELA (concerns).