EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*sb0604*
SENATE BILL 604
C3 2lr2008
CF HB 1285
By: Senator McCray
Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2022
Assigned to: Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 3, 2022
CHAPTER ______
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 that applicants for certain local permits have a State 10
license to provide electrical services; providing for the delayed issuance of an 11
electrical permit; requiring the Maryland Department of Labor to examine certain 12
memoranda of understanding; requiring the Department to attempt to renegotiate 13
certain memoranda of understanding in certain circumstances; requiring the 14
Department to report to the Governor and the Ge neral Assembly on certain 15
memoranda of understanding; and generally relating to the licensure of electricians 16
in the State. 17
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 18
Article – Business Occupations and Professions 19
Section 6–304, 6–307.1, and 6–604 6–603 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21
(2018 Replacement Volume and 2021 Supplement) 22
2 SENATE BILL 604
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Business Occupations and Professions 3
6–304. 4
(a) To qualify for a State license, an applicant shall meet the requirements of this 5
section. 6
(b) (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, an applicant for a master 7
electrician license shall have been engaged or employed regularly and principally in 8
providing electrical services for all types of electrical equipment and apparatuses for at 9
least 7 years while under the direction and supervision of: 10
(i) a master electrician; or 11
(ii) a similarly qualified employee of a governmental unit. 12
(2) (I) The State Board may allow an applicant up to 3 years of credit 13
toward the experience required under paragraph (1) of this subsection, if the State Board 14
determines that the applicant has completed a formal course of study or professional 15
training in electrical installation comparable to the required experience. 16
(II) THE STATE BOARD SHALL CREDIT TO WARD THE 17
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION A N 18
APPLICANT’S WORK AS PART OF A SUCCESSFULLY COMPLET ED ELECTRICIAN 19
APPRENTICESHIP PROGR AM APPROVED BY THE MARYLAND APPRENTICESHIP AND 20
TRAINING COUNCIL OR THE FEDERA L OFFICE OF APPRENTICESHIP . 21
(c) (1) [An] SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , AN 22
applicant for a journeyperson electrician license shall have been engaged or employed 23
regularly and principally in providing electrical services for all types of electrical equipment 24
and apparatuses for at least 4 years while under the direction and supervision of: 25
[(1)] (I) a master electrician; or 26
[(2)] (II) an employee of a governmental unit who is similarly qualified as 27
a master electrician licensed under this title. 28
(2) THE STATE BOARD SHALL CREDIT TO WARD THE EXPERIENCE 29
REQUIRED UNDER PARAG RAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION A N APPLICANT’S WORK AS 30
PART OF A SUCCESSFUL LY COMPLETED ELECTRI CIAN APPRENTICESHIP PRO GRAM 31
APPROVED BY THE MARYLAND APPRENTICESHIP AND TRAINING COUNCIL OR THE 32
FEDERAL OFFICE OF APPRENTICESHIP . 33
SENATE BILL 604 3
(d) Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, the applicant shall pass an 1
examination given by the State Board under this subtitle. 2
(e) The State Board may investigate the qualifications of each applicant to 3
determine whether the applicant meets the requirements of this section. 4
6–307.1. 5
The State Board shall waive the experience AND EXAMINATION requirements for 6
an applicant for a journeyperson electrician license if the applicant: 7
(1) (i) provides written proof of [3] 4 years of work experience providing 8
electrical services under the control and direction of a master electrician; and 9
(ii) submits an application for a license to the State Board on or 10
before December 31, 2022; or 11
(2) provides written proof that the applicant has successfully completed an 12
electrician apprenticeship program approved by the Maryland Apprenticeship and 13
Training Council or the federal Office of Apprenticeship that consists of: 14
(i) at least 576 classroom hours; and 15
(ii) 8,000 hours of work experience. 16
6–604. 17
(a) This section does not apply to a State licensee on inactive status. 18
(b) (1) [A] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS 19
SUBSECTION, A master electrician who is licensed by the State Board and provides 20
electrical services or a person to whom a master electrician licensed by the State Board 21
assigns a local registration under this title shall: 22
[(1)] (I) maintain general liability insurance in the amount of at least 23
$300,000; 24
[(2)] (II) maintain property damage insurance in the amount of at least 25
$100,000; and 26
[(3)] (III) submit proof of the required insurance to the State Board. 27
(2) A MASTER ELECTRICIAN O R A PERSON TO WHOM A MASTER 28
ELECTRICIAN ASSIGNS A LOCAL REGISTRATION UNDER THIS TITLE IS NOT 29
REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN GENERAL LIABILITY IN SURANCE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE 30 4 SENATE BILL 604
INSURANCE IF THE MAS TER ELECTRICIAN OR A PERSON TO WHOM A LO CAL 1
REGISTRATION IS ASSI GNED: 2
(I) ONLY PROVIDES ELECTR ICAL SERVICES WITHIN THE SCOPE 3
OF THE LICENSE OR RE GISTRATION WHEN EMPL OYED BY ANOTHER PERS ON WHO 4
MAINTAINS GENERAL LI ABILITY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE INSURANCE WIT H AT 5
LEAST AS MUCH COVERA GE AS THAT LISTED UNDER PARAGRA PH (1) OF THIS 6
SUBSECTION; AND 7
(II) SUBMITS EVIDENCE OF THE EMPLOYER ’S INSURANCE TO 8
THE STATE BOARD. 9
(c) (1) An applicant for a State license shall submit proof of the insurance 10
required under this section to the State Board with the license application. 11
(2) The State Board may not issue a State license to an applicant to whom 12
the insurance requirements of this section would apply unless the applicant submits proof 13
of the insurance. 14
(d) Unless an applicant meets the insurance requirements of this section, the 15
State Board may not renew a State license of the applicant to whom the insurance 16
requirements of this section would apply. 17
(e) If the insurance required under this section is canceled, the insurer shall 18
notify the State Board within 10 days after the date of cancellation. 19
(f) If a local jurisdiction requires an applicant for a local license to execute a bond 20
to the local jurisdiction, the applicant may satisfy the bond requirement by submitting proof 21
of the insurance required under this section. 22
6–603. 23
(a) An electrician may obtain an electrical permit or any other similar permit 24
from a local jurisdiction, if the electrician: 25
(1) (I) HOLDS A STATE LICENSE; AND 26
(II) is actively registered locally, if required[, or holds a State 27
license]; 28
(2) shows proof of the State license; [and] 29
(3) pays any permit fee that the local jurisdiction requires; AND 30
(4) PROVIDES PROOF OF IN SURANCE IN COMPLIANC E WITH THE 31
REQUIREMENTS OF § 6–604 OF THIS SUBTITLE . 32 SENATE BILL 604 5
(b) Before a local jurisdiction issues an electrical permit or similar permit to an 1
electrician under this section, the local jurisdiction shall give the electrician notice of any 2
local electrical requirements with which the electrician shall comply while providing 3
electrical services in that local jurisdiction. 4
(c) (1) [On] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS 5
SUBSECTION, ON payment of the permit fee that the local jurisdiction requires, the local 6
jurisdiction shall issue the appropriate permit to each applicant who meets the 7
requirements of this section. 8
(2) A LOCAL JURISDICTION M AY DELAY THE ISSUANC E OF AN 9
ELECTRICAL PER MIT UNDER THIS SUBSE CTION IF, FOR A PARTICULAR JOB , THE 10
LOCAL JURISDICTION R EQUIRES THE ISSUANCE OF OTHER PERMITS , INCLUDING A 11
BUILDING PERMIT , BEFORE ISSUANCE OF T HE ELECTRICAL PERMIT . 12
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 13
(a) The Maryland Department of Labor shall review each memorandum of 14
understanding that the State has entered into with another state or territory guaranteeing 15
a reciprocal recognition of electrician licenses to determine whether all licenses issued to 16
master electricians under Title 6 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article is 17
covered by the terms of the memorandum of understanding. 18
(b) If the Maryland Department of Labor determines that the terms of a 19
memorandum of understanding do not cover a master electrician who is licensed in 20
accordance with Title 6 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article, the 21
Department shall seek to renegotiate the terms of the memorandum of understanding to 22
include licenses for those master electricians who are not covered. 23
(c) On or before January 1, 2023, the Maryland Department of Labor shall report 24
to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the 25
General Assembly on: 26
(1) any outstanding memoranda of understanding with other states or 27
territories guaranteeing a reciprocal recognition of electrician licenses that: 28
(i) do not recognize master electricians authorized for licensure 29
under Title 6 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article; and 30
(ii) that the Department was unable to renegotiate; and 31
(2) actions needed in order to guarantee that a license issued to a master 32
electrician in accordance with Title 6 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article 33
can be brought under the terms of a memorandum of understanding identified in item (1) 34
of this subsection, including: 35 6 SENATE BILL 604
(i) any necessary legislation; and 1
(ii) any necessary appropriation of funds. 2
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 3
1, 2022. 4
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.