RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, construction spending in Hawaii in 2004 totaled approximately $4.6 billion, is projected to reach approximately $5.4 billion in 2005, and is forecast to continue growing in the future; and

WHEREAS, increased construction activity is likely to result in a shortage of qualified workers, especially in the licensed trades; and

WHEREAS, the State has electrician and plumber licensing laws to ensure quality workmanship and the safety of workers and consumers; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) is charged with the enforcement of these laws, yet lacks enforcement inspectors with direct knowledge or experience in the electrical and plumbing industries; and

WHEREAS, the lack of effective enforcement of the licensing laws provides an unfair advantage to unlicensed electrical and plumbing contractors, hurts the livelihood of legitimate contractors, and threatens the safety of consumers and the public; and

WHEREAS, DCCA has underutilized resources in the Compliance Resolution Fund, resulting in the return of millions of dollars to the General Fund; and

WHEREAS, DCCA should better utilize funds collected for the enforcement of the licensing laws and improve its enforcement efforts; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2005, the House of Representatives concurring, that DCCA is requested to actively and aggressively enforce Hawaii's electrician and plumber licensing laws, focusing on both contractors and mechanics/installers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, in furtherance thereof, DCCA is requested to convene a task force whose members include inspection professionals outside of the department with knowledge and experience in the electrical and plumbing industries; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to review the department's current efforts and practices in the enforcement of the electrician and plumber licensing laws and develop strategies to improve and strengthen these efforts and practices; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DCCA is requested to report to the Legislature regarding the task force's findings and recommendations no later than twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2006; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1186, and the Plumbers-Fitters Local 675.

Report Title:

Electrician and Plumber Licensing; Enforcement; Task Force