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) Whereas it is necessary for the public health and safety to create statewide contractor registration and mechanic certification requirements, a joint legislative task force on the heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration industry is established, with members as provided in this subsection.
     (i) The chair and the ranking member of the senate labor, commerce, research and development committee;
     (ii) The chair and the ranking member of the house commerce and labor committee;
     (iii) The majority leader of the senate shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the senate;
     (iv) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint one member from each of the two largest caucuses of the house of representatives;
     (v) Four members representing business, selected from nominations submitted by business organizations representing heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration contractors and appointed jointly by the majority leader of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives. At least one business representative shall be from a county that has a contiguous border with another state;
     (vi) Four members representing labor, selected from nominations submitted by statewide labor organizations representing heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration trades and appointed jointly by the majority leader of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives. At least one labor representative shall be from a county that has a contiguous border with another state; and
     (vii) One member representing the department of labor and industries.
     (b) The cochairs of the task force shall be the chair of the senate labor, commerce, research and development committee and the chair of the house commerce and labor committee.
     (2) The joint legislative task force shall review the following issues in the context of the framework set forth in Senate Bill No. 5831 and joint legislative audit and review committee report No. 05-12 on HVAC/R licensing and testing requirements:
     (a) Requirements for certifying heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics;
     (b) Methods of registering heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration contractors who qualify for two or more registrations or licenses;
     (c) Establishing at least three levels of heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics, with the ability to be certified in several specialities including: (i) Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning; (ii) refrigeration; and (iii) gas piping;
     (d) The 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 registration or certification 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 December 1, 2008.
     (6) This section expires January 1, 2009.