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General Assembly Proposed Bill No. 188
January Session, 2021
LCO No. 462
Referred to Committee on GENERAL LAW
Introduced by:
SEN. WITKOS, 8th Dist.
AN ACT EXPANDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY IN LICENSED
OCCUPATIONS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
That the general statutes be amended to: (1) Require each state agency 1
responsible for issuing a credential to report to the Secretary of the 2
Office of Policy and Management on the extent such credential may be 3
issued or renewed online not later than July 1, 2022, (2) require the Labor 4
Department to issue last-year identification cards to qualified registered 5
apprentices who have completed seventy-five per cent of their required 6
work experience and instruction in the electrical, plumbing, heating, 7
piping and cooling, sprinkler fitter or sheet metal work trades, (3) allow 8
any initial or didactic training or continuing instruction required to 9
obtain or renew a credential to be completed via the Internet or distance 10
learning, (4) require the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental 11
Loan Authority to submit a report, not later than November 1, 2021, on 12
financing opportunities for residents pursuing postsecondary 13
occupational education and recommendations for the use of income-14
based repayment in financing programs, (5) require agencies that issue 15 Proposed Bill No. 188
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occupational credentials to review and make recommendations to 16
reduce or eliminate barriers to participation, (6) allow the Department 17
of Consumer Protection to deny or issue a building trade license 18
pursuant to a consent order if the commissioner determines the 19
applicant is guilty of a felony, and (7) require occupational credentials 20
to be issued, under certain circumstances, to a person who (A) 21
establishes Connecticut residency, or (B) is married to an active duty 22
member of the United States armed forces or accompanied such member 23
to a Connecticut military installation. 24
Statement of Purpose:
To reduce barriers to occupational licensure by encouraging the
utilization of and supporting apprenticeship programs in the building
trades.