HB2050--MECHANICALCONTRACTORLICENSINGACT
SPONSOR: Schroer
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPass"bytheStandingCommitteeon
ProfessionalRegistrationandLicensingbyavoteof11to3.
Thisbillestablishesthe"MissouriStatewideMechanicalContractor
LicensingAct".
Asspecifiedinthebill,theStatewideMechanicalLicensefor
mechanicalcontractorswillberegulatedbytheDivisionof
ProfessionalRegistrationwithintheDepartmentofCommerceand
Insurance. Thebillcreatesthe"OfficeofMechanicalContractors"
withintheDivision,tocarryouttheprovisionsofthebill.
Applicantsforastatewidemechanicallicensemustbe21yearsold,
provideproofofliabilityinsuranceintheamountof$1million,
passcertainstandardizedmechanicalassessmenttests,andhave
completed7,500hoursoffieldexperienceoratleastaBachelor's
degreewithaminimumofthreeyearsofexperiencesupervisinga
fieldemployee.
Acompanythatwantstoengageinmechanicalcontractingis
requiredtoemployatleastonestatewidelicense-holder,andif
thecompanylosestheirlicense-holder,theyhavesixmonthsto
registeranewlicense-holderbeforebeingdeclaredinactive. A
StatewideLicensedMechanicalContractormayrepresentonlyone
companyatatime.Acompanymusthaveatleastonelicense-holder
giveeighthoursoftrainingeachyear.
Politicalsubdivisionsmayestablishtheirownlocalmechanical
contractor'slicense,butshallrecognizeastatewidelicensein
lieuofalocallicense. Apoliticalsubdivisioncannotrequire
theemployeesofastatewidelicensedmechanicalcontractororits
subcontractors ormanufacturers' toobtainjourneymenlicenses,
apprenticeship licenses,oroccupationallicensesthatrequire
passinganyexaminationoranyspecialrequirementstoassess
mechanicalproficiency. TheStatewideMechanicalContractor
Licensecanbeusedtoperformworkinanypoliticalsubdivision.
Ifapoliticalsubdivisiondoesnotrecognizeastatewidelicense,
aStatewideMechanicalContractorLicenseemayfileacomplaint
withtheDivision,whichmustinvestigatesuchcomplaint. Ifthe
Divisionfindsthatthepoliticalsubdivisionfailedtorecognizea
statewidelicense,theDivisionshallnotifythepolitical
subdivisionofsuchviolationandgrantthem30daystocomply.If
after30daysthepoliticalsubdivisiondoesnotcomply,the
DivisionshallnotifytheDirectoroftheDepartmentofRevenue, whoshallwithholdanymoneysthepoliticalsubdivisionwould
otherwisebeentitledtofromlocalsalestaxuntilthepolitical
subdivisionisincompliance.
Thisbillestablishesthe"MissouriMechanicalContractorLicensing
Fund"intheStateTreasury,whichshallbeexpendedforthe
administration ofthestatewidemechanicalcontractorlicensure.
Statewidemechanicalcontractorlicensesshallexpireafter24
months.Failuretorenewalthelicensewillresultinthelicense
beingdeclaredinactiveandthelicenseecannotpracticeuntilthe
licenseisrenewed. Alicenseemustalsohaveatlast16hoursof
trainingtorenewthelicense.
Anypersonoperatingasamechanicalcontractorinapolitical
subdivisionthatdoesnotrequirealocallicenseorwhooperates
inapoliticalsubdivisionwithalocallicenseisnotrequiredto
possessastatewidelicensetooperateasamechanicalcontractor
insuchpoliticalsubdivision.
TheDivisionmayrefusetoissuethelicenseandmaycausea
complainttobefiledwiththeAdministrative HearingCommission
againstanyholderofalicenseforreasonsoutlinedinthebill.
UponafindingbytheAdministrative HearingCommissionthat
groundsfordisciplinaryactionaremet,theDivisionmaycensure,
placeonprobation,suspend,orrevokeanylicense. Upona
judicialoradministrativefindingofaviolationofthisact,the
Divisionmayassessfinesupto$5,000.
Anypersonwhoknowinglyviolatestheprovisionsofthisactis
guiltyofaclassBmisdemeanor.
ThisbillissimilartoHB500andSB11(2021);SCSSB559,HCSHB
1891,andHCSSSSCSSBs673&560(2020).
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatotherstatesarealreadydoing
this.Thecurrentlicensing requirementsaretooburdensomeon
smallbusinessesandtheapplicationprocesstakestoolong.We
arelosingworkerstootherstatesbecauseourlawscurrently
requiretoomuch.
TestifyingforthebillwereRepresentative Schroer;Joseph
Arcikowski;MaleaMarasso;Mateo;KyleMartin,MartinPlumbing
HeatingAndCooling,LLC;KellieJones,GatewayAirConditioning
Contractors;MarkJackson,AllAirSystemsHeatingAndCooling;
TylerMenos,KirkwoodHeatingAndAirConditioning;HeatherCoil,
AssociatedBuildersAndContractors;MikeKeeven,KeevenHeating
andCooling;TravisRackers,NickRackersHeatingandCooling;
CoreyMalone,AirComfortService,Inc;andZacharyM.Peters, PetersHeatingAndAirConditioning.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythattherearedifferent
systemsandtechnologydependingontheregion.Weneedtomake
suretheworkersarewelleducatedinperformingservicesonthe
technologyofeachregionofthestate.Thisbillonlyrequires
onecompanylicenseandthatcouldbecomeanoversightissueifthe
companyhashundredsofemployees.
TestifyingagainstthebillwereArnieC.Dienoff;ChristinaKaeini,
InternationalAssociationofPlumbingandMechanicalOfficials
(IAPMO);CityofSpringfield;MechanicalContractorsAssociationof
KansasCity;MechanicalContractorsAssociationofEastern
Missouri;SaintLouisCountyExecutiveandCouncil;UA#562
PlumbersandPipefitters;PlumbingIndustryCouncil;Missouri
AssociationofPlumbingHeating&CoolingContractors;andSheet
MetalAndAirConditioningContractorsNationalAssociation-St.
Louis.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonycanbefoundunderTestimonyonthebillpageon
theHousewebsite.