Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2296 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require continued competency in plumbing code requirements as a condition of license renewal for plumbers and to modify the license renewal schedule.

The Board of Electricians and Plumbers, Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Association of Hawaii, and Plumbers and Fitters Local 675 testified in support of this measure. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs expressed concerns about the measure.

Currently, licensed electricians are required to submit proof of attendance at continuing education courses on updates to the National Electrical Code or pass an exam on the electrical code updates in order to renew their licenses. This measure establishes a similar requirement for plumbers by requiring continuing education or demonstration of competency in Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) updates. Additionally, this measure replaces the biennial renewal schedule for plumbers with a triennial renewal schedule to coincide with revisions to the UPC.

Your Committee finds that this measure enhances consumer protection by helping to ensure that plumbers remain current in their knowledge and understanding of plumbing code requirements.

Your Committee further finds that concerns have been expressed about the ability of the community colleges to develop and offer the required courses in sufficient time to allow licensees to fulfill the continuing education requirement. Therefore, your Committee has amended this measure by delaying its effective date to December 31, 2004. Your Committee also made nonsubstantive, stylistic changes to the measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2296, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2296, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.