2014 -- S 3112

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LC005954

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS - ELECTRICIANS

     Introduced By: Senator Roger Picard

     Date Introduced: June 16, 2014

     Referred To: Placed on Senate Calendar

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Sections 5-6-1, 5-6-7, 5-6-8 and 5-6-16 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-6

entitled "Electricians" are hereby amended to read as follows:

     5-6-1. Definitions. -- For purposes of this chapter:

      (1) "Electrical contractor" means a corporation, firm or person, who, by the employment

of journeypersons, performs the work of installing wires, conduits, apparatus, fixtures, and other

appliances for carrying or using electricity for light, heat or power purposes exclusive of low

voltage wiring for heating or refrigeration equipment for service, maintenance, and installation.

      (2) "Electrical sign contractor" means a corporation, firm, or person who, by the

employment of electrical sign installers, performs the work of installing, altering, and servicing

electrical signs. This may include the removal or installation of no more than three (3) wires not

to exceed fifteen feet (15') in length and terminating in an existing electrical enclosure directly

adjacent to, or at the base of, said sign.

      (3) "Electrical sign installer" means a person engaged in installing, altering, and

servicing electrical signs. This may include the removal or installation of no more than three (3)

wires not to exceed fifteen feet (15') in length and terminating in an existing electrical enclosure

directly adjacent to, or at the base of, said sign.

      (4) "Fire alarm contractor" means a corporation, firm, or person who, by the employment

of fire alarm installers, performs the work of installing, altering and servicing, and testing of fire

alarm systems in accordance with the Rhode Island Ffire Ssafety Ccode, chapters 28.1 -- 28.39 of

title 23.

      (5) "Fire alarm installation" means the installation or alteration of a fire alarm system

according to the Rhode Island Ffire Ssafety Ccode.

      (6) "Fire alarm installer" means a person engaged in installing, altering, or servicing and

testing of a fire alarm system used for the purpose of causing an alarm to be sounded in case of

fire.

      (7) "Journeyperson electrician" means a person doing any work of installing wires,

conduits, apparatus, fixtures, and other appliances.

      (8) "Lightning protection contractor" means a corporation, firm, or person, who or that,

by employment of lightning protection installers, performs the work of installing, altering, and

maintaining, lightning protection systems. The "systems" are defined and should be installed in

accordance with NFPA 780 current edition, and all referenced NFPA documents.

      (9) "Lightning protection installer" means a person engaged in the installation, service,

or maintenance of a lightning protection system according to NFPA 780 current edition.

      (10) "Oil burner contractor" means a corporation, firm, or person, who or that, by the

employment of oil burnerpersons, performs the work of installing and servicing oil and domestic

automatic, coal-burning heating equipment, including central heating plants, and domestic type

range burners, and including all accessory equipment and control systems, excluding

thermostatic, mechanical, and low voltage wiring on heating, ventilating, and air conditioning

equipment.

      (11) "Oil burnerperson" means a person doing any work, or installing or servicing oil

burners and other equipment, installed and serviced by an oil burner contractor.

     (12) "Sign renovation electrical license" means a person engaged in the installation,

service, or maintenance of electrical signs, but only when the installation, service, or maintenance

requires the removal or installation of no more than three (3) wires.

     5-6-7. Forms of licenses. -- Thirteen (13) Fourteen (14) forms of licenses shall be issued:

      (1) The first, subsequently referred to as Certificate A, is known as an "electrical

contractor's license";

      (2) The second, subsequently referred to as Certificate B, is known as a "journeyperson

electrician's license";

      (3) The third, subsequently referred to as Certificate C, is known as a "limited premises

license";

      (4) The fourth, subsequently referred to as Certificate E, is known as an "oil burner

contractor's license";

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      (5) The fifth, subsequently referred to as Certificate F, is known as an "oil burnerperson's

license";

      (6) The sixth, subsequently referred to as Certificate AF, is known as a "fire alarm

contractor's license";

      (7) The seventh, subsequently referred to as Certificate BF, is known as a "fire alarm

installer's license";

      (8) The eighth, subsequently referred to as Certificate SCF, is known as "an electrical

sign contractor's license";

      (9) The ninth, subsequently referred to as Certificate CF, is known as "an electrical sign

installer's license";

      (10) The tenth, subsequently referred to as Certificate D, is known as a "limited

maintenance license";

      (11) The eleventh, subsequently referred to as Certificate M shall be known as a "limited

maintenance journeyperson license";

      (12) The twelfth, subsequently referred to as Certificate LPC shall be known as a

"lightning protection contractor's license"; and

      (13) The thirteenth, subsequently referred to as Certificate LPI shall be known as a

"lightning protection installer's license."

     (14) The fourteenth, subsequently referred to as certificate SRL, shall be known as a

"sign renovation electrical license."

     5-6-8. Contractor's certificates/licenses. -- (a) Electrical contractor's license. -

Certificate A shall be issued to any person, firm, or corporation, qualified under this chapter,

engaging in, or about to engage in, the business of installing electrical wires, conduits, apparatus,

fixtures, fire alarm and safety communication systems, and other electrical appliances, excluding

low voltage wiring for heating, ventilating, and air conditioning equipment. The certificate shall

specify the name of the person, firm, or corporation applying and the name of the person, who in

the case of a firm is one of its members, and in the case of a corporation, one of its officers,

passing the examination, by which he or she or it is authorized to enter upon, or engage in,

business as prescribed in the certificate. The holding of a Certificate A does not entitle the holder

individually to engage in or perform the actual work of installing electric wires, conduits, and

appliances as previously described in this chapter, but entitles him or her to conduct business as

an electrical contractor.

      (b) Oil burner contractor's license. - A Certificate E shall be issued to any person, firm,

or corporation qualified under this chapter, and engaged in, or about to engage in, the business of

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an oil burner contractor, as defined in section §5-6-1. The certificate shall specify the name of the

person, firm, or corporation applying and the name of the person who, in the case of a firm is one

of its members, and in the case of a corporation one of its officers, passing the examination, by

which he or she or it is authorized to enter upon, or engage in, business as prescribed in the

certificate. The holding of a Certificate E does not entitle the holder individually to engage in or

perform any work on, or in connection with, electric wires, conduits, and appliances as previously

described in this chapter, but entitles the holder to contract to do that work, to the extent

permitted in this chapter, through the employment of oil burnerpersons holding a Certificate F.

An oil burner contractor who is the holder of a Certificate A is not required to obtain a Certificate

E.

      (c) Fire alarm contractor's license. - A Certificate AF shall be issued to any person, firm,

or corporation qualified under this chapter, and engaged in, or about to engage in, the business of

a fire alarm contractor, as defined in section §5-6-1. The certificate shall specify the name of the

person, firm, or corporation applying and the person who, in the case of a firm is one of its

members, and in the case of a corporation one of its officers, passing the examination, by which

he or she or it is authorized to enter upon or engage in business as prescribed in the certificate.

The holding of a Certificate AF does not entitle the holder individually to engage in, or perform

and work on, or in connection with, electric wires, fire alarm wires, conduits, and appliances as

previously described in this chapter, but entitles the holder to contract to do that work to the

extent permitted in this chapter through the employment of fire alarm installers holding a

Certificate BF. A contractor who is the holder of a Certificate A is not required to obtain a

Certificate BF.

      (d) Electrical sign contractor's license. - A Certificate SCF shall be issued to any person,

firm, or corporation qualified under this chapter, and engaged in, or about to engage in, the

business of electrical sign installations, as defined in section §5-6-1.

      (e) Lightning protection contractor. - A Certificate LPC shall be issued to any person,

firm, or corporation qualified under this chapter and engaged in, or about to engage in, the

business of lightning protection contractor, as defined in section §5-6-1. The Certificate LPC

shall specify the name of the person, firm, or corporation applying and the person, who in the

case of a firm, is one of its members, and in the case of a corporation, one of its officers, passing

the examination by, which he or she or it is authorized to enter upon or engage in business as

prescribed in the certificate. The holding of a Certificate LPC does not entitle the holder

individually to engage in, or perform and work on, or in connection with, the installation of

lightning protection equipment as defined in section §5-6-1, unless that individual also holds a

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Certificate LPI, but entitles the holder to contract to do that work to the extent permitted in this

chapter through the employment of lightning protection installers holding a Certificate LPI.

     (f) Sign renovation electrical license. – A certificate SRL shall be issued to any person,

firm, or corporation qualified under this chapter and engaged in, or about to engage in, the

business of sign renovation or installation of signs when such renovation or installation requires

the removal or installation of no more than three (3) wires.

     5-6-16. License fees. -- (a) All licenses issued by the division of professional regulation

for master electricians, all limited-license electricians, and all journeyperson electricians born in

odd years shall expire on the birthday of the individual qualifying for the license in odd years and

all licenses of master electricians, all limited-license electricians, and all journeyperson

electricians born in even years shall expire on the birthday of the individual qualifying for the

license in even years and all licenses may be renewed on or before their expiration date upon

payment of the appropriate, biennial renewal fee.

      (b) A fee of two hundred forty dollars ($240) shall be paid by each applicant for an

electrical contractor's license Class A; seventy-two dollars ($72.00) for a journeyperson

electrician's license Class B; two hundred forty dollars ($240) for a limited premises license Class

C; two hundred forty dollars ($240) for an oil burner contractor's license Class E; seventy-two

dollars ($72.00) for an oil burnerperson's license Class F; two hundred forty dollars ($240) for a

fire alarm contractor's license Class AF; seventy-two dollars ($72.00) for a fire alarm installer's

license Class BF; two hundred forty dollars ($240) for an electrical sign contractor's license SCF;

seventy-two dollars ($72.00) for a sign installer's license Class CF; and two hundred forty dollars

($240) for a limited maintenance license Class D.

      (c) A fee of two hundred forty dollars ($240) shall be paid by each applicant for a

lightning protection contractor's license Class LPC.

      (d) A fee of seventy-two dollars ($72.00) shall be paid by each applicant for a lightning

protection installer's license LPI.

     (e) A fee of seventy-two dollars ($72.00) shall be paid by each applicant for a sign

renovation electrical license.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC005954

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS - ELECTRICIANS

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     This act would create a new electricians license called the "sign renovation electrical

license" limited to the removal or installation of signs only if the removal or installation of the

sign requires removing or installing three (3) wires. It also expands the definition of electrical

sign contractor and electrical sign installer to accommodate the creation of the new "sign

renovation electrical license".

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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