05/06/2004 09:00 AM House FIN

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 278(FIN)                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     An  Act   relating  to  fees   for  the   inspection  of                                                                   
     recreational  devices, including instructional  devices,                                                                   
     for certificates  of fitness  for electrical  wiring and                                                                   
     plumbing,  and   for  licenses  for   boiler  operators;                                                                   
     relating to  the building safety account;  and providing                                                                   
     for an effective date.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
GREG O'CLARAY,  COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF  LABOR, commented                                                                   
that the Department supports the bill.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
GREY  MITCHELL,   DIRECOTR,  LABOR   STANDARDS  AND   SAFETY,                                                                   
DEPARTMENT  OF COMMUNITY  & ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT,  explained                                                                   
that  SB  278   would  establish  fees  for   inspection  and                                                                   
licensing services,  based on  the concept that  users should                                                                   
bare  the  costs  of  services.   He  offered  to  provide  a                                                                   
sectional analysis.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Chenault  questioned  if  the intent  was  to                                                                   
raise  boiler  operator  fees   from  $160  dollars  to  $200                                                                   
dollars.  Mr. Mitchel acknowledged that was correct.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative   Chenault  pointed   out   that  boilers   in                                                                   
apartment  complexes are  subject to  yearly inspection.   He                                                                   
commented  that there  is a  big difference  between a  small                                                                   
boiler and  a large boiler.   Mr. Mitchel explained  that the                                                                   
bill would not have an affect  on the boiler inspection fees.                                                                   
He pointed  out that  Section 2  indicates that the  operator                                                                   
license would be  used for a person who obtains  a license to                                                                   
work on a boiler.  It is not associated  with the fee charged                                                                   
on the  inspection.  Representative  Chenault clarified  that                                                                   
the bill affects the work license for boiler installers.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
In  response  to  a query  made  by  Representative  Stoltze,                                                                   
Commissioner O'Clary  stated that the owner  of the mentioned                                                                   
facility,  had  testified in  the  House Labor  and  Commerce                                                                   
Committee and as a result, the  bill was amended to waive the                                                                   
Department's fee  as long as  the out-of-state  inspector had                                                                   
the  required  certifications.     He  added  that  both  the                                                                   
National  Electrical  Contractors  Association and  the  IBW-                                                                   
Local  #50  &  #47,  testified   in  favor  of  the  proposed                                                                   
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Foster MOVED  to report  CS SB  (FIN) out  of                                                                   
Committee  with  individual  recommendations   and  with  the                                                                   
accompanying fiscal notes.  There  being NO OBJECTION, it was                                                                   
so ordered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CS  SB 278  (FIN)  was reported  out  of Committee  with  "no                                                                   
recommendation" and  with zero note  #3 by the  Department of                                                                   
Labor  & Workforce  Development  and fiscal  note  #4 by  the                                                                   
Department of Labor & Workforce Development.