STAND. COM. REP. NO. 498-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 1630

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1630 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELEVATOR MECHANICS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to strengthen the regulatory oversight of the licensed profession of elevator mechanics by amending the permissible scope of work, apprenticeship and licensing requirements, and remote interaction requirements.

The International Union of Elevator Constructors, Local 126 testified in support of this measure. KONE Inc. and National Elevator Industry, Inc. testified in opposition. The Elevator Mechanics Licensing Board provided comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Removing a restriction that an applicant may not take the examination for licensure more than once per quarter;

(2) Removing language regarding fees that would be duplicative of existing provisions of the Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(3) Providing that an elevator mechanic initially licensed within one year prior to the applicable renewal date shall not be required to complete the continuing education requirement for license renewal;

(4) Authorizing the Elevator Mechanics Licensing Board to conduct random audits to determine compliance with the continuing education requirements;

(5) Exempting employees of a contractor duly licensed in the State contracted to work on platform or stairway lifts in private residences from the requirements of the Elevator Mechanics laws;

(6) Clarifying that cleaning and painting are not tasks limited to those licensed as elevator mechanics;

(7) Clarifying that merely monitoring or diagnosing the controls of a conveyance is not limited to those licensed as elevator mechanics;

(8) Expanding the acceptable apprenticeship programs to include programs registered with other states or the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training of the United States Department of Labor;

(9) Clarifying that the work experience of an apprentice elevator mechanic must be under the direct supervision of an elevator mechanic duly licensed by this State;

(10) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2050, to promote further discussion; and

(11) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1630, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1630, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

ROY M. TAKUMI, Chair