04/27/1993 02:55 PM Senate L&C

  SENATOR KELLY called  the Senate Labor and  Commerce meeting                 
  to  order  at  2:55  p.m.   and  announced  CSSSHB  249(STA)                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  (ELECTRICAL,  MECHANICAL,  TRADESPERSONS)   to  be  up   for                 
  consideration.                                                               
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE GARY  DAVIS, prime  sponsor of  HB 249,  said                 
  this bill addresses a problem that  he sees as an emergency.                 
  On August 31, 1993 all electrical administrators licensed in                 
  the state, about  600, will expire.   He said an  electrical                 
  administrator  is  a master  tradesperson  who is  above the                 
  journeyman  level in electrical  installations.   He insures                 
  that electrical systems are installed according to code.                     
                                                                               
  CHARLES MAHLEN, Commissioner, Department of Labor, explained                 
  that the Electrical Examiners Board  sunseted June 30, 1992.                 
  Since then there has been no method to regulate or supervise                 
  the people in the field.                                                     
                                                                               
  Number 142                                                                   
                                                                               
  SENATOR SALO  wanted to  know the  reason for  the two  year                 
  period for  having a  lapsed license.   COMMISSIONER  MAHLEN                 
  said it  is hard to get the examination  and there are a lot                 
  of  people  whose  licenses have  expired  since  last year.                 
  SENATOR  SALO   commented  that   even  if   the  Board   is                 
  reestablished, there  is still  a long  period of  allowable                 
  lapse time in statute.                                                       
                                                                               
  SENATOR  LINCOLN asked him  to comment on  the difference in                 
  the two  fiscal notes.   COMMISSIONER  MAHLEN explained  the                 
  latest  fiscal note  was lower  because they  added a  clerk                 
  rather than an inspector.                                                    
                                                                               
  JOSH FINK, Legislative Aide for Senator Kelly, explained the                 
  Senate Labor & Commerce  SCS.  He said there  were basically                 
  four  changes.    It  transfers   the  Board  of  Mechanical                 
  Examiners and  the Board  of Electrical  Examiners from  the                 
  Department  of Commerce  and  Economic  Development  to  the                 
  Department  of  Labor.    Secondly,   it  would  reduce  the                 
  extension of the Boards from June 30, 1996 to June 30, 1994.                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  A representative from  the Department  of Commerce said  the                 
  Governor's office  made a  decision on  this legislation  so                 
  they had no position.                                                        
                                                                               
  Speaking  to the third change, MR. FINK explained that there                 
  was  a repealer in the  previous version that eliminated the                 
  requirement that electrical administrators be limited to one                 
  licensed contractor.  It also  repealed the requirement that                 
  mechanical  administrators  be   limited  to  one   licensed                 
  contractor.  It repealed the class B misdemeanor for failure                 
  to appear in court to answer a citation.                                     
                                                                               
  The fourth change was the addition of an immediate effective                 
  date.                                                                        
                                                                               
                                                                               
  Number 279                                                                   
                                                                               
  SENATOR LINCOLN commented  that by taking out  the language,                 
  "shall reside  in different  judicial districts"  leaves the                 
  appointees  to  be  from  one  community.    She  wanted  an                 
  amendment  saying  that  each  member   shall  reside  in  a                 
  different judicial district of the state.                                    
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE  DAVIS said  that although  the district  are                 
  structured very strange, they didn't  have a problem with it                 
  per se.                                                                      
                                                                               
  SENATOR KELLY  suggested inserting that one of the three has                 
  to be  from a community with a population of less than 5,000                 
  people.                                                                      
                                                                               
  SENATOR  KELLY   made  a  conceptual   amendment  that   the                 
  appointees had  to come  from different  geographical areas.                 
  There were no objections and the amendment was adopted.                      
                                                                               
  MR. WHITE supported HB 249.                                                  
                                                                               
  SENATOR SALO asked why the sunset period was shortened.  MR.                 
  FINK explained it was  the intent that next year  the powers                 
  of the Board would be transferred to the Department of Labor                 
  as part of the effort to reduce the number of Boards.                        
                                                                               
  SENATOR KELLY asked if there should be concern over the                      
  four-year  licensing term.   REPRESENTATIVE  DAVIS explained                 
  there  have  been attempts  to  renew licenses  from various                 
  individuals.    Four  years would  cover  those  that  he is                 
  personally  aware of  that have  made these  attempts.   The                 
  licenses  would   be  renewed   upon   proof  of   continued                 
  competency.                                                                  
                                                                               
                                                                               
  Number 392                                                                   
                                                                               
  SENATOR  SHARP  moved  to  adopt  SCS  CSSS  HB  249(L&C) as                 
  amended.   SENATOR SALO objected because she liked the other                 
  version of the  bill better  than the SCS.   SENATOR  SHARP,                 
  SENATOR RIEGER, and SENATOR KELLY voted to adopt the SCS and                 
  SENATOR SALO and SENATOR LINCOLN voted against its adoption.                 
  The Chairman stated the Labor & Commerce SCS was adopted.                    
                                                                               
  SENATOR  SHARP  moved to  pass  SCS  CSSS HB  249(L&C)  from                 
  committee.  There were no objections and it was so ordered.