Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H358 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 492 FILED ON: 1/13/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 358
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Marc T. Lombardo
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act regarding requirements for continuing education for electricians.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Marc T. Lombardo22nd Middlesex1/13/2023Lawrence Clark1/13/2023 1 of 4
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 492 FILED ON: 1/13/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 358
18	18	By Representative Lombardo of Billerica, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 358) of
19	19	Marc T. Lombardo and Lawrence Clark relative to continuing education requirements for
20	20	electricians. Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
24	24	(2023-2024)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act regarding requirements for continuing education for electricians.
27	27	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
28	28	of the same, as follows:
29	29	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 141 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition,
30	30	2is hereby amended by inserting after section 2B the following section:-
31	31	3 Section 2C (a) Except as otherwise provided for in this section or chapter, each licensee
32	32	4of the board of state examiners of electricians, hereinafter referred to as “the board”, as a
33	33	5condition for license renewal, shall present evidence satisfactory to the board that, in the 3-year
34	34	6period before license renewal, he or she has completed 21 clock hours of continuing education as
35	35	7provided for in this section.
36	36	8 (b) Of the required 21 clock hours, 15 clock hours shall be on topics related to 527 CMR
37	37	912.00: Massachusetts electrical code amendments, business, law, and related topics with a
38	38	10provider in an area of study approved by the board. Courses offered for master electricians and
39	39	11journeyman electricians shall focus on 527 CMR 12.00 and other laws and regulations as they
40	40	12pertain to electrical work: courses for systems contractors and systems technicians shall focus on 2 of 4
41	41	13the applicable chapters of 527 CMR 12.00, the adopted version of NFPA 72, and other laws and
42	42	14regulations as they pertain to systems work. The board may require specific content to be
43	43	15contained in any approved courses. It shall be the licensee's responsibility to ensure that their
44	44	16provider has been approved by the board.
45	45	17 (c) Of the required 21 clock hours, 6 clock hours shall be in areas chosen by the licensee
46	46	18for professional development in the subjects of electrical code, business, law, first aid, safety,
47	47	19building code, and related topics; provided, that the instruction need not be offered by a board-
48	48	20approved provider.
49	49	21 (d) Notwithstanding subsections (a) to (c), inspectors of wires, appointed pursuant to
50	50	22section 32 of chapter 166, electrical inspectors or investigators employed by the division of
51	51	23professional licensure, and licensed members of the board, shall complete the required 15 hours
52	52	24of mandatory continuing education within the first year of the release of the updated edition of
53	53	25527 CMR 12.00: Massachusetts electrical code amendments as a condition of license renewal.
54	54	26 (e) In addition to the 21 hours for renewal as provided for in subsection (c), each
55	55	27inspector of wires appointed pursuant to section 32 of chapter 166 shall complete in each license
56	56	28cycle 6 hours of continuing education in courses approved by the board, for a total of 27 clock
57	57	29hours. The board may designate 1 or more associations of inspectors of wires or other providers
58	58	30to offer these courses.
59	59	31 (f) The board may, at its discretion, consider a written request for an extension or
60	60	32exemption from the deadlines for the continuing education requirement under the following
61	61	33circumstances: 3 of 4
62	62	34 (i) A request for an extension based on illness, disability, or other medically-related
63	63	35condition, shall be in writing, under oath, and accompanied by a letter addressed to the board,
64	64	36written and signed by a licensed medical doctor, stating the nature of the licensee’s medical
65	65	37condition and the correlation between that condition and the licensee’s inability to work in any
66	66	38trade capacity, as well as to complete the required continuing education within the required
67	67	39period.
68	68	40 (ii) Instructors who teach 2 15-clock-hour seminars or courses or 2 6-hour professional
69	69	41development courses per cycle shall be deemed to have met the continuing education
70	70	42requirements.
71	71	43 (iii) Any holder of a journeyman electrician or systems technician license issued by the
72	72	44board following examination or by reciprocity during the 90 days preceding the license renewal
73	73	45date shall be exempt from the continuing education requirement for the license renewal cycle in
74	74	46effect at the time of licensure.
75	75	47 (g) Any licensee who does not complete the required hours of continuing education shall
76	76	48not be eligible for license renewal. A licensee who misrepresents completion of continuing
77	77	49education in a license renewal shall be subject to disciplinary action which could include fines
78	78	50and license suspension or revocation.
79	79	51 (h) A licensee who allows their license to lapse beyond 90 days, who did not complete
80	80	52their continuing education prior to their license expiration, shall not be eligible to reinstate their
81	81	53license until they complete the latest board-approved version of the 15-hour continuing education
82	82	54course and a 6-hour professional development course. Additionally, if a license has been expired
83	83	55for more than 12 years (4 license cycle), even if originally obtained by reciprocity, the former 4 of 4
84	84	56licensee shall be required to pass the Massachusetts examination for the license they previously
85	85	57held in order to reinstate their license.
86	86	58 (i)(1) Upon successful completion of the 15 clock hours of continuing education, each
87	87	59licensee shall receive from their CEP a certificate of completion. The board shall retain such
88	88	60documentation for 10 years. This requirement shall not be deemed to waive the requirement that
89	89	61CEPs also maintain records as required in 237 CMR 17.00.
90	90	62 (2) Upon successful completion of the 6 clock hours of professional development, each
91	91	63licensee shall receive from the sponsor a certificate of completion as provided for in 237 CMR
92	92	6417.02(3)(b). Each licensee shall retain such documentation for 10 years and shall furnish it to the
93	93	65board for verification of completion of the professional development if so requested.
94	94	66 (3) Appointed inspectors of wires pursuant to section 32 of chapter 166 shall provide to
95	95	67the board successful completion and documentation of the required 27 clock hours of mandatory
96	96	68continuing education and certification programs as required by the board pursuant to these
97	97	69regulations indicating qualification for initial or continuing appointment as an inspector of wires.
98	98	70 SECTION 2. The board of state examiners of electricians shall promulgate rules and
99	99	71regulations for the administration and enforcement of section 1.