STAND. COM. REP. NO. 690

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1248

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 1248 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTRICAL LICENSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to require applicants for various types of electrical licensing to provide evidence of successful completion of an accredited academic or apprenticeship program covering the principles of electrical theory and the requirements of the National Electric Code, in addition to the current requirements under chapter 448E, Hawaii Revised Statutes. 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers; the Hawaii Electricians Training Fund; K&H Electric, Inc.; MGM Electrical Services; the Electrical Contractor Association of Hawaii; Brilliant Ideas, Inc.; Ron's Electric, Inc.; the Hawaii Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers; and three individuals.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was received from the Board of Electricians and Plumbers, the Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Association of Hawaii, the Plumbers & Fitters United Association, and the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 675.

     Your Committee finds that providing the requirement for academic and apprenticeship training for applicants for various types of electrical licensing will ensure that those persons have the ability to satisfy the level of proficiency required to complete electrical work in a safe manner.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that the new requirements for licensing are to complete an accredited academic program and a five-year apprentice program or have various levels of full-time experience, depending on the type of electrical licensing being sought;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to promote further discussion; and

     (3)  Providing that the new qualifying requirements for a supervising electrician, a supervising specialty electrician, and a supervising industrial electrician, shall not take effect until four years after the effective date of the measure.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1248, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1248, S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing,

____________________________

BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair