STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2727
Honolulu, Hawaii
RE: S.B. No. 1248
S.D. 2
Honorable Colleen Hanabusa
President of the Senate
Twenty-Fourth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2008
State of Hawaii
Madam:
Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 1248, S.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTRICAL LICENSING,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to require applicants for various types of electrical licensing to provide evidence of successful completion of an accredited academic and apprenticeship program covering the principles of electrical theory and the requirements of the National Electrical Code, in addition to the existing requirements under chapter 448E, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to electricians and plumbers.
Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Hawaii Electricians Training Fund; the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union 1186; the Electrical Contractors Association of Hawaii; and three private individuals. Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Board of Electricians and Plumbers; the United Association of Plumbers and Fitters, Local 675; and two private individuals.
Your Committee finds that requiring academic and apprenticeship training for applicants for various types of electrical licensing will ensure that these individuals have the ability to satisfy the level of proficiency required to complete electrical work in a safe manner. However, your Committee recognizes the submitted testimony indicating that further licensing requirements for electricians are not necessary and indicating concerns with regards to providing academic and apprenticeship requirements for journey worker plumbers. Due to the contentious nature of this measure, your Committee received several amendments suggested by various groups in the electrician industry.
Your Committee notes the amendments suggested by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union 1186 to apply the academic and apprenticeship requirements to only journey worker electrician classifications, and not to other classifications. Furthermore, your Committee notes the amendment suggested by the Board of Electricians and Plumbers to provide clarity that the academic and apprenticeship requirements in this measure shall not affect the scope of the work of plumbers and electricians licensed under chapter 448E, Hawaii Revised Statutes and its adopted rules, and the amendment suggested by the United Association of Plumbers and Fitters, Local 675 to provide a clause that would clarify that this measure would not affect the rights and duties of other building trades whose duties have included electrical work for the past fifty years.
Your Committee changed the effective date of this measure to July 1, 2050, when this measure was heard during the 2007 Regular Session, and encourages further discussion on this matter as this measure moves through the legislative process.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Adding language that applies the academic and apprenticeship requirements to only journey worker electrician classifications under section 448E-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes;
(2) Deleting language that applies the academic and apprenticeship requirements to any other electrician or plumber classifications under section 448E-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and
(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1248, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1248, S.D. 2.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing,
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____________________________ RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Chair |
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