STAND. COM. REP. NO.  941

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 937

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 937, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTRICAL AND PLUMBING TRADES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure that electricians have a thorough and adequate knowledge of electricity by specifying increased educational requirements for electricians.

     The American Society of Safety Engineers-Hawaii Chapter, Hawaii Electricians Training Fund, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Cedric D.O. Chong & Associates, Incorporated, and an individual testified in support of this bill.  The Board of Electricians and Plumbers, Plumbers and Fitters Local 675 United Association, T.M.C. General Contracting Inc., and several individuals testified in opposition to this bill.

     While many concerns were raised by plumbers and contractors regarding the effect of increasing educational requirements for electricians would have on their trade and businesses, your Committee notes that electrical work is complex and requires numerous years of education and training.  Your Committee finds that this matter deserves further discussion and has thus amended this measure by changing its effective date to July 1, 2020.

     Technical, nonsubstantive amendments for style, clarity, and consistency were also made to this bill.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 937, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 937, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

ROBERT N. HERKES, Chair