Legislature(2019 - 2020)BARNES 124
03/09/2020 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB235 | |
| HB93 | |
| HB301 | |
| SB52 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 235 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 301 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 52 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 93 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 301-ELECTRICIAN & PLUMBER APPRENTICESHIPS
3:51:50 PM
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ announced that the next order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 301, "An Act relating to certificates of
fitness for plumbers and electricians."
3:52:28 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES moved to adopt the proposed committee
substitute (CS), labeled 31-LS1506\E, Fisher, 3/6/20, as the
working document.
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ objected for the purpose of discussion.
3:52:53 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GABRIELLE LEDOUX, Alaska State Legislature, as
prime sponsor, provided a brief explanation of HB 301. She
stated that Alaska has a great apprenticeship program; however,
there are regulations that have been proposed that would gut
it. Essentially, she said, HB 301 would codify the current
regulations regarding apprenticeship programs so that the
changes promulgated by the administration would not go into
effect.
3:53:48 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS reported that they heard 375 public
comments in opposition to the proposed regulations and in favor
of the status quo. He said the proposed CS maintains that
status quo to provide certainty for the industry.
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ removed her objection. There being no further
objection, Version E was adopted as the working document.
3:54:42 PM
DEBORAH KELLY, Director, National Electrical Contractors
Association & International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Apprenticeship Program, stated that she is in favor of the
committee substitute (CS) for HB 301. She said there are only
two building trades in Alaska that require licenses: plumbers
and electrical workers. She added that there is good reason for
licensing these trades. The work performed by plumbers and
electrical workers is complex and must be done properly;
however, once its completed, its often hidden behind walls,
floors, and ceilings. Consequently, the state has several
overlapping inspections to ensure that plumbing and electrical
installations are safe for the public: administers licenses,
state conducted inspections, and certificates of fitness. These
licenses ensure that workers know what theyre doing before they
work alone. She explained that this is accomplished by
requiring that trainees are in an apprenticeship the industry
standard for building competency. She said each apprenticeship
may be somewhat different, but they all follow the same basic
standards and expectations for training and experience to create
a qualified person. She explained that the Department of Labor
& Workforce Development (DLWD) recently proposed regulations
that would remove this apprenticeship requirement, effectively
stripping away all training and relevant experience requisites
for these trades. She offered her belief that it would have
created economic advantages for businesses not using
apprenticeships and allowed employers to hire out-of-state,
seasonal, low wage labor instead of investing in Alaskas
workforce. She noted that stakeholders were not consulted, and
the proposal included several provisions that showed a lack of
understanding of the realities in the field. HB 301, she said,
will prevent the department from turning trainee licenses into
nothing more than a ransom paid to work in the plumbing or
electrical trade. This bill will help ensure that the
department respects the statutory intent for public safety. She
urged the passage of CSHB 301.
3:59:25 PM
DAVE MCALLEN, CEO, The Superior Group Inc.; National Electrical
Contractors Association, expressed his hope to offer insight
from a contractor's perspective. He informed the committee that
he is the chief operations officer for The Superior Group Inc.,
which is an employee-owned, Alaska-based contractor that employs
both electrical workers, plumbers, and pipefitters. HB 301, he
said, will have a direct impact on their business operations.
He stated that he is also the vice president of the Alaska
chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association
(NECA). He said that as an employer utilizing a workforce
heavily comprised of skilled tradespeople, registered
apprenticeship is an important tool in hiring and vetting the
workforce. A standardized means of identifying experience
levels and verifiable skillsets is critical in developing and
qualifying his crews. He said that his tradespeople can work in
high-risk environments and it is imperative that the product is
completed in a safe and code-compliant manner. He said that his
business appreciates and leans heavily on registered
apprenticeship and the associated licensing requirements.
Without it, it would be difficult to effectively evaluate
employees and ensure that theyre being placed in an appropriate
role. It is important for both the personal safety of the
employee and for the general public that inhabits the property
on which they worked. Furthermore, in todays competitive
market, the lower scale apprentice is a factor in determining
competitive bids and there is an expectation that they are
working on the installation, not simply observing the journeyman
doing the install. Consequently, he said that he sees a very
real need for that individual to be licensed to do the work. He
stated that apprenticeship and licensing work well in their
current form. Furthermore, he surmised that it is the best and
most cost-effective means of developing a local workforce. To
conclude, he stated his support for HB 301 and for codifying a
system that is currently working.
CHAIR SPOHNHOLZ announced that HB 301 was held over.