Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H429 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. 700 FILED ON: 1/11/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 429
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 Middlesex1/11/2025 1 of 4
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 700 FILED ON: 1/11/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 429
18	18	By Representative Lombardo of Billerica, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 429) of
19	19	Marc T. Lombardo relative to continuing education requirements for electricians. Consumer
20	20	Protection and Professional Licensure.
21	21	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
22	22	SEE HOUSE, NO. 358 OF 2023-2024.]
23	23	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
24	24	_______________
25	25	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
26	26	(2025-2026)
27	27	_______________
28	28	An Act regarding requirements for continuing education for electricians.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 141 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition,
32	32	2is hereby amended by inserting after section 2B the following section:-
33	33	3 Section 2C (a) Except as otherwise provided for in this section or chapter, each licensee
34	34	4of the board of state examiners of electricians, hereinafter referred to as “the board”, as a
35	35	5condition for license renewal, shall present evidence satisfactory to the board that, in the 3-year
36	36	6period before license renewal, he or she has completed 21 clock hours of continuing education as
37	37	7provided for in this section.
38	38	8 (b) Of the required 21 clock hours, 15 clock hours shall be on topics related to 527 CMR
39	39	912.00: Massachusetts electrical code amendments, business, law, and related topics with a 2 of 4
40	40	10provider in an area of study approved by the board. Courses offered for master electricians and
41	41	11journeyman electricians shall focus on 527 CMR 12.00 and other laws and regulations as they
42	42	12pertain to electrical work: courses for systems contractors and systems technicians shall focus on
43	43	13the applicable chapters of 527 CMR 12.00, the adopted version of NFPA 72, and other laws and
44	44	14regulations as they pertain to systems work. The board may require specific content to be
45	45	15contained in any approved courses. It shall be the licensee's responsibility to ensure that their
46	46	16provider has been approved by the board.
47	47	17 (c) Of the required 21 clock hours, 6 clock hours shall be in areas chosen by the licensee
48	48	18for professional development in the subjects of electrical code, business, law, first aid, safety,
49	49	19building code, and related topics; provided, that the instruction need not be offered by a board-
50	50	20approved provider.
51	51	21 (d) Notwithstanding subsections (a) to (c), inspectors of wires, appointed pursuant to
52	52	22section 32 of chapter 166, electrical inspectors or investigators employed by the division of
53	53	23professional licensure, and licensed members of the board, shall complete the required 15 hours
54	54	24of mandatory continuing education within the first year of the release of the updated edition of
55	55	25527 CMR 12.00: Massachusetts electrical code amendments as a condition of license renewal.
56	56	26 (e) In addition to the 21 hours for renewal as provided for in subsection (c), each
57	57	27inspector of wires appointed pursuant to section 32 of chapter 166 shall complete in each license
58	58	28cycle 6 hours of continuing education in courses approved by the board, for a total of 27 clock
59	59	29hours. The board may designate 1 or more associations of inspectors of wires or other providers
60	60	30to offer these courses. 3 of 4
61	61	31 (f) The board may, at its discretion, consider a written request for an extension or
62	62	32exemption from the deadlines for the continuing education requirement under the following
63	63	33circumstances:
64	64	34 (i) A request for an extension based on illness, disability, or other medically-related
65	65	35condition, shall be in writing, under oath, and accompanied by a letter addressed to the board,
66	66	36written and signed by a licensed medical doctor, stating the nature of the licensee’s medical
67	67	37condition and the correlation between that condition and the licensee’s inability to work in any
68	68	38trade capacity, as well as to complete the required continuing education within the required
69	69	39period.
70	70	40 (ii) Instructors who teach 2 15-clock-hour seminars or courses or 2 6-hour professional
71	71	41development courses per cycle shall be deemed to have met the continuing education
72	72	42requirements.
73	73	43 (iii) Any holder of a journeyman electrician or systems technician license issued by the
74	74	44board following examination or by reciprocity during the 90 days preceding the license renewal
75	75	45date shall be exempt from the continuing education requirement for the license renewal cycle in
76	76	46effect at the time of licensure.
77	77	47 (g) Any licensee who does not complete the required hours of continuing education shall
78	78	48not be eligible for license renewal. A licensee who misrepresents completion of continuing
79	79	49education in a license renewal shall be subject to disciplinary action which could include fines
80	80	50and license suspension or revocation.
81	81	51 (h) A licensee who allows their license to lapse beyond 90 days, who did not complete
82	82	52their continuing education prior to their license expiration, shall not be eligible to reinstate their 4 of 4
83	83	53license until they complete the latest board-approved version of the 15-hour continuing education
84	84	54course and a 6-hour professional development course. Additionally, if a license has been expired
85	85	55for more than 12 years (4 license cycle), even if originally obtained by reciprocity, the former
86	86	56licensee shall be required to pass the Massachusetts examination for the license they previously
87	87	57held in order to reinstate their license.
88	88	58 (i)(1) Upon successful completion of the 15 clock hours of continuing education, each
89	89	59licensee shall receive from their CEP a certificate of completion. The board shall retain such
90	90	60documentation for 10 years. This requirement shall not be deemed to waive the requirement that
91	91	61CEPs also maintain records as required in 237 CMR 17.00.
92	92	62 (2) Upon successful completion of the 6 clock hours of professional development, each
93	93	63licensee shall receive from the sponsor a certificate of completion as provided for in 237 CMR
94	94	6417.02(3)(b). Each licensee shall retain such documentation for 10 years and shall furnish it to the
95	95	65board for verification of completion of the professional development if so requested.
96	96	66 (3) Appointed inspectors of wires pursuant to section 32 of chapter 166 shall provide to
97	97	67the board successful completion and documentation of the required 27 clock hours of mandatory
98	98	68continuing education and certification programs as required by the board pursuant to these
99	99	69regulations indicating qualification for initial or continuing appointment as an inspector of wires.
100	100	70 SECTION 2. The board of state examiners of electricians shall promulgate rules and
101	101	71regulations for the administration and enforcement of section 1.