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69th Legislature 2025 HB 497.1
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – HB 497
1 HOUSE BILL NO. 497
2 INTRODUCED BY J. LYNCH, E. BUTTREY
3
4 A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT REVISING LAWS RELATING TO APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS
5 IN THE ELECTRICAL TRADE; ALLOWING FOR COMPLETION OF AN APPROVED APPRENTICESHIP
6 PROGRAM OR A SUBSTANTIAL EQUIVALENT PROGRAM IN THE ELECTRICAL TRADE; PROVIDING A
7 DEFINITION; AMENDING SECTION 37-68-305, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.”
8
9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
10
11 Section 37-68-305, MCA, is amended to read:
12 "37-68-305.
13 (1) An applicant for a journeyman electrician's license shall furnish written evidence of at least
14 one of the following:
15 (a) completion of an approved apprenticeship program under Title 39, chapter 6, or a substantially
16 equivalent program in the electrical trade;
17 (b) completion of an appropriate training program conducted by a bona fide union or trade
18 association;
19 (c)(b) 8,000 hours of legally obtained practical experience in the wiring for, installing, and repairing of
20 electrical apparatus and equipment for light, heat, and power; or
21 (d)(c) work in the electrical maintenance field for at least 20,000 hours, accompanied by written
22 certification by the applicant's employer that the employer considers the applicant qualified to take the
23 examination for which the applicant is applying and that the applicant has attained at least 20,000 hours in the
24 electrical maintenance field while working for the employer. A minimum of 8,000 of these hours must be
25 practical experience.
26 (2) Applications for license and notice to the applicant must be made and given in the same
27 manner as for master electricians' licenses. The examination for a journeyman's license must consist of at least
28 60 questions designed to fairly test the applicant's knowledge and the applicant's technical application skills in ****
69th Legislature 2025 HB 497.1
- 2 - Authorized Print Version – HB 497
1 the following subjects:
2 (a) the national electric code; and
3 (b) board rules and applicable laws under Title 37.
4 (3) An applicant for a residential electrician's license shall furnish written evidence of at least one
5 of the following:
6 (a) completion of an approved residential electrician apprenticeship program under Title 39,
7 chapter 6, or a substantially equivalent program;
8 (b) 4,000 hours of legally obtained practical experience in the wiring for, installing, and repairing of
9 electrical apparatus and equipment for light, heat, and power in residential construction consisting of less than
10 five living units in a single structure;
11 (c) completion of an appropriate training program conducted by a bona fide union or trade
12 association; or
13 (d)(c) work in the electrical maintenance field for at least 20,000 hours, accompanied by written
14 certification by the applicant's employer that the employer considers the applicant qualified to take the
15 examination for which the applicant is applying and that the applicant has attained at least 20,000 hours in the
16 electrical maintenance field while working for the employer. A minimum of 8,000 of these hours must be
17 practical experience.
18 (4) Application for license and notice to the applicant must be made and given in the same manner
19 as for master electricians' licenses. The examination for a residential electrician's license must consist of at
20 least 50 questions designed to fairly test the applicant's knowledge and the applicant's technical application
21 skills in the following subjects:
22 (a) the national electric code; and
23 (b) board rules and applicable laws under Title 37.
24 (5) (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms apply:
25 (a) (i) "electrical Electrical maintenance" means the ordinary and customary installations in a plant
26 or onsite in addition to modifications, additions, or repairs that are limited to replacing ballasts, relamping,
27 trouble-shooting motor controls, and replacing motors, breakers, or magnetic starters in a kind-for-kind manner.
28 The term includes the connection of specific items of specialized equipment that can be directly connected to ****
69th Legislature 2025 HB 497.1
- 3 - Authorized Print Version – HB 497
1 an existing branch circuit panel by means of factory-installed leads.
2 (b)(ii) The term does not include installation of a new circuit to operate the equipment described in
3 subsection (5)(a)(i) or installation that requires the size of supply conductors to be increased.
4 (b) (i) "Legally obtained practical experience" means experience obtained in accordance with the
5 laws and rules of the jurisdiction in which an applicant obtained the experience and within the applicable laws
6 pertaining to the state electrical board.
7 (ii) The term does not include experience obtained during an apprenticeship that was not
8 completed."
9
10 NEW SECTION. Section 2. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.
11 - END -