EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0604*
SENATE BILL 604
C3 2lr2008
CF 2lr2007
By: Senator McCray
Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2022
Assigned to: Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Maryland Electricians Act – Revisions 2
FOR the purpose of requiring that the State Board of Electricians credit an applicant’s work 3
as part of certain apprenticeships for the experience required for certain electrician 4
licenses; requiring the State Board to waive the examination requirements for 5
certain applicants for a journeyperson electrician license; adjusting the number of 6
years an applicant for journeyperson electrician must work under a certain 7
circumstance; authorizing a master electrician or a person to whom a master 8
electrician assigns a local registration to not maintain certain insurance under 9
certain circumstances; requiring the Maryland Department of Labor to examine 10
certain memoranda of understanding; requiring the Department to attempt to 11
renegotiate certain memoranda of understanding in certain circumstances; requiring 12
the Department to report to the Governor and the General Assembly on certain 13
memoranda of understanding; and generally relating to the licensure of electricians 14
in the State. 15
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 16
Article – Business Occupations and Professions 17
Section 6–304, 6–307.1, and 6–604 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 20
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 21
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 22
Article – Business Occupations and Professions 23
6–304. 24
(a) To qualify for a State license, an applicant shall meet the requirements of this 25
section. 26 2 SENATE BILL 604
(b) (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, an applicant for a master 1
electrician license shall have been engaged or employed regularly and principally in 2
providing electrical services for all types of electrical equipment and apparatuses for at 3
least 7 years while under the direction and supervision of: 4
(i) a master electrician; or 5
(ii) a similarly qualified employee of a governmental unit. 6
(2) (I) The State Board may allow an applicant up to 3 years of credit 7
toward the experience required under paragraph (1) of this subsection, if the State Board 8
determines that the applicant has completed a formal course of study or professional 9
training in electrical installation comparable to the required experience. 10
(II) THE STATE BOARD SHALL CREDIT TO WARD THE 11
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION A N 12
APPLICANT’S WORK AS PART OF A SUCCESSFULLY COMPLET ED ELECTRICIAN 13
APPRENTICESHIP PROGR AM APPROVED BY THE MARYLAND APPRENTICESHIP AND 14
TRAINING COUNCIL OR THE FEDERA L OFFICE OF APPRENTICESHIP . 15
(c) (1) [An] SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , AN 16
applicant for a journeyperson electrician license shall have been engaged or employed 17
regularly and principally in providing electrical services for all types of electrical equipment 18
and apparatuses for at least 4 years while under the direction and supervision of: 19
[(1)] (I) a master electrician; or 20
[(2)] (II) an employee of a governmental unit who is similarly qualified as 21
a master electrician licensed under this title. 22
(2) THE STATE BOARD SHALL CREDIT TO WARD THE EXPERIENCE 23
REQUIRED UNDER PARAG RAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION AN A PPLICANT’S WORK AS 24
PART OF A SUCCESSFUL LY COMPLETED ELECTRI CIAN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM 25
APPROVED BY THE MARYLAND APPRENTICESHIP AND TRAINING COUNCIL OR THE 26
FEDERAL OFFICE OF APPRENTICESHIP . 27
(d) Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, the applicant shall pass an 28
examination given by the State Board under this subtitle. 29
(e) The State Board may investigate the qualifications of each applicant to 30
determine whether the applicant meets the requirements of this section. 31
6–307.1. 32
SENATE BILL 604 3
The State Board shall waive the experience AND EXAMINATION requirements for 1
an applicant for a journeyperson electrician license if the applicant: 2
(1) (i) provides written proof of [3] 4 years of work experience providing 3
electrical services under the control and direction of a master electrician; and 4
(ii) submits an application for a license to the State Board on or 5
before December 31, 2022; or 6
(2) provides written proof that the applicant has successfully completed an 7
electrician apprenticeship program approved by the Maryland Apprenticeship and 8
Training Council or the federal Office of Apprenticeship that consists of: 9
(i) at least 576 classroom hours; and 10
(ii) 8,000 hours of work experience. 11
6–604. 12
(a) This section does not apply to a State licensee on inactive status. 13
(b) (1) [A] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS 14
SUBSECTION, A master electrician who is licensed by the State Board and provides 15
electrical services or a person to whom a master electrician licensed by the State Board 16
assigns a local registration under this title shall: 17
[(1)] (I) maintain general liability insurance in the amount of at least 18
$300,000; 19
[(2)] (II) maintain property damage insurance in the amount of at least 20
$100,000; and 21
[(3)] (III) submit proof of the required insurance to the State Board. 22
(2) A MASTER ELECTRICIAN O R A PERSON TO WHOM A MASTER 23
ELECTRICIAN ASSIGNS A LOCAL REGISTRATION UNDER THIS TITLE IS NOT 24
REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN GENERAL LIABILITY IN SURANCE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE 25
INSURANCE I F THE MASTER ELECTRI CIAN OR A PERSON TO WHOM A LOCAL 26
REGISTRATION IS ASSI GNED: 27
(I) ONLY PROVIDES ELECTR ICAL SERVICES WITHIN THE SCOPE 28
OF THE LICENSE OR RE GISTRATION WHEN EMPL OYED BY ANOTHER PERS ON WHO 29
MAINTAINS GENERAL LI ABILITY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE INS URANCE WITH AT 30
LEAST AS MUCH COVERA GE AS THAT LISTED UN DER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 31
SUBSECTION; AND 32 4 SENATE BILL 604
(II) SUBMITS EVIDENCE OF THE EMPLOYER ’S INSURANCE TO 1
THE STATE BOARD. 2
(c) (1) An applicant for a State license shall submit proof of the insurance 3
required under this section to the State Board with the license application. 4
(2) The State Board may not issue a State license to an applicant to whom 5
the insurance requirements of this section would apply unless the applicant submits proof 6
of the insurance. 7
(d) Unless an applicant meets the insurance requirements of this section, the 8
State Board may not renew a State license of the applicant to whom the insurance 9
requirements of this section would apply. 10
(e) If the insurance required under this section is canceled, the insurer shall 11
notify the State Board within 10 days after the date of cancellation. 12
(f) If a local jurisdiction requires an applicant for a local license to execute a bond 13
to the local jurisdiction, the applicant may satisfy the bond requirement by submitting proof 14
of the insurance required under this section. 15
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 16
(a) The Maryland Department of Labor shall review each memorandum of 17
understanding that the State has entered into with another state or territory guaranteeing 18
a reciprocal recognition of electrician licenses to determine whether all licenses issued to 19
master electricians under Title 6 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article is 20
covered by the terms of the memorandum of understanding. 21
(b) If the Maryland Department of Labor determines that the terms of a 22
memorandum of understanding do not cover a master electrician who is licensed in 23
accordance with Title 6 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article, the 24
Department shall seek to renegotiate the terms of the memorandum of understanding to 25
include licenses for those master electricians who are not covered. 26
(c) On or before January 1, 2023, the Maryland Department of Labor shall report 27
to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the 28
General Assembly on: 29
(1) any outstanding memoranda of understanding with other states or 30
territories guaranteeing a reciprocal recognition of electrician licenses that: 31
(i) do not recognize master electricians authorized for licensure 32
under Title 6 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article; and 33
(ii) that the Department was unable to renegotiate; and 34 SENATE BILL 604 5
(2) actions needed in order to guarantee that a license issued to a master 1
electrician in accordance with Title 6 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article 2
can be brought under the terms of a memorandum of understanding identified in item (1) 3
of this subsection, including: 4
(i) any necessary legislation; and 5
(ii) any necessary appropriation of funds. 6
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 7
1, 2022. 8