Licensure of Electricians

Section 1 of the bill amends a definition and adds new definitions under the electricians' practice act.

Current law requires an applicant for a journeyman electrician's license or a residential wireman's license to provide evidence of having certain minimum years of apprenticeship experience, accredited training, or practical experience. For the purpose of these requirements, section 2 allows an applicant for a journeyman electrician's license to have a minimum of 8,000 hours, as an alternative to 4 years, of certain apprenticeship or practical experience and an applicant for a residential wireman's license to have a minimum of 4,000 hours, as an alternative to 2 years, of certain practical experience.

Current law allows an applicant for a journeyman electrician's license or a residential wireman's license to substitute for required practical experience evidence of academic training or practical experience in the electrical field. Section 2 also allows an applicant to also substitute evidence of training in photovoltaic systems installation. However, section 2 also states that the state electrical board (board) may, but is no longer required to, provide work experience credit for academic training, military training, photovoltaic systems installation training, or substantially similar training.

Current law requires that, for all applicants seeking work experience credit toward licensure, the board give credit for electrical work that is not required to be performed by or under the supervision of a licensed electrician if the applicant can show that the experience or supervision is adequate. Section 3 allows the board to give the credit, but it is not required to do so. Section 4 requires that, for an apprentice who holds a residential wireman's license, an electrical contractor, an apprenticeship program, or a state apprenticeship agency that employs the apprentice must report qualifying years or hours of work experience only for commercial, industrial, or substantially similar work. Section 4 also allows an individual who possesses an active residential wireman's or master electrician's license to not take the journeyman electrician license examination. Section 5 requires the department of regulatory agencies to:

• Uphold the rules and regulations of the current edition of the national electrical code, including applying the code to certain equipment;
• Cooperate with utilities to maintain safe clearances and safe working distances for the utilities based on the current edition of the national electrical code; and
• Allow each utility to install its proper metering equipment with the assistance of qualified electrical personnel.

Current law requires that the contract for any public works project that does not receive federal money in an amount of $1,000,000 or more require the general contractor or other entity to submit documentation to the agency that certifies that all firms identified:

• Participate in an apprenticeship program registered with the United States department of labor's office of apprenticeship or a state apprenticeship agency recognized by the United States department of labor (registered apprenticeship program); and
• Have a proven record of graduating apprentices.

Current law allows for photovoltaic installations with a direct current design capacity of less than 300 kilowatts, the performance of all photovoltaic electrical work, the installation of photovoltaic modules, and the installation of photovoltaic module mounting equipment (applicable work) to be subject to on-site supervision by a certified photovoltaic energy practitioner designated by the NABCEP. Section 6 requires that the photovoltaic energy practitioner is also working for a contractor that is not a registered electrical contractor; is registered with the department of regulatory agencies as a photovoltaic installer no later than December 31, 2025; is a business in good standing with the state; and employs a NABCEP PV installation professional. Section 6 also removes language:

• Stating that neither the public utilities commission nor a utility is responsible for monitoring or enforcing compliance with statutory requirements concerning solar photovoltaic installations (installations); and
• Requiring a qualifying retail utility to obtain and retain all documentation submitted in connection with an installation.

Section 6 also defines "photovoltaic electrical work" as electrical work performed on a photovoltaic system that is covered electrical work in accordance with the national electrical code. Section 7 addresses photovoltaic electrical work for installations of at least 300 kilowatts, requiring that the work must:

• Comply with electrical permitting requirements and be performed by an electrical contractor;
• Include a contemporaneous review of the work; and
• Be subject to compliance checks by state electrical inspectors or individuals appointed by the director of the division of professions and occupations in the department of regulatory agencies.
  (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)