2020 -- S 2142

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LC003585

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- ELECTRICIANS

     

     Introduced By: Senator Walter S. Felag

     Date Introduced: January 22, 2020

     Referred To: Senate Labor

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 5-6-24 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-6 entitled "Electricians" is

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hereby amended to read as follows:

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     5-6-24. Apprentices -- Registration.

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     (a) This chapter does not forbid the employment of one properly limited-registered

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apprentice electrician working with and under the direct personal supervision of a licensed

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journeyperson electrician. Additionally, this chapter does not forbid the employment of: (1) One

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properly registered apprentice burnerperson working with and under the direct personal

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supervision of a licensed burnerperson; (2) One properly registered apprentice fire alarm installer

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working with and under the direct personal supervision of a licensed fire alarm installer; (3) Two

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(2) properly registered apprentice electrical sign installers working with and under the direct

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personal supervision of a licensed electrical sign installer; (4) One properly registered apprentice

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maintenance electrician working with and under the direct personal supervision of a valid Class C

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or Class D license holder; or (5) One properly registered apprentice lightning-protection installer

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working with and under the direct personal supervision of a licensed lightning-protection installer

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(LPI). Apprentices are required to register with the division of professional regulation

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immediately upon employment with a properly licensed electrical contractor or lightning-

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protection contractor.

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     (b) Indentured apprentice electricians are required to work a minimum of eight thousand

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(8,000) hours over a period of time of not less than four (4) years and successfully complete one

 

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hundred forty-four (144) hours of related instruction per year in an indentured apprenticeship

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program approved by the Rhode Island department of labor and training, to qualify for the

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journeyperson "B" electrician examination; provided, however, apprentices may receive credit for

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one hundred forty-four (144) hours of classroom training gained in a vocational school authorized

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by the board of education, or two hundred eighty-eight (288) hours of classroom training gained

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upon the successful completion of a course of study in a recognized trade school and approved by

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the Rhode Island department of labor and training apprenticeship council. Provided, that the test

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applicant has possessed, for at least four (4) years prior to the filing of the application, a

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certificate of registration in full force and effect from the department of labor and training of

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Rhode Island specifying the person as an indentured apprentice, and the application of an

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applicant is accompanied by an affidavit or affidavits of his or her employer or former employers

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or other reasonably satisfactory evidence showing that the applicant has been actually engaged in

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electrical work as an apprentice in Rhode Island during those four (4) years; or the application is

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accompanied by an affidavit or other reasonably satisfactory evidence showing that the applicant

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has successfully completed a course of study in a recognized college or university and has

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pursued a course of electrical technology for at least two (2) academic years or is the recipient of

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an associate degree in electrical technology, and has thereafter been indentured by the department

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of labor and training as an apprentice for at least two (2) four (4) years and employed as an

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indentured apprentice by a duly licensed electrician master in this state for a period of two (2)

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four (4) years; or a showing that the applicant possesses a certificate of license issued under the

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laws of another state, based on training equal to that required by the state of Rhode Island.

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Limited-registered apprentice electricians shall be required to work a minimum of four thousand

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(4,000) hours over a period of time of not less than two (2) years.

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     (c) Indentured apprentice maintenance electricians are required to work a minimum of six

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thousand (6,000) hours over a period of time of not less than three (3) years and successfully

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complete one hundred forty-four (144) hours of related instruction per year in an indentured

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apprenticeship program approved by the Rhode Island department of labor and training, to qualify

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for the journeyperson "M" electrician examination. Provided, however, that the test applicant has

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possessed for at least three (3) years prior to the filing of the application a certificate of

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registration in full force and effect from the department of labor and training specifying the

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person as an indentured apprentice, and the application of an applicant is accompanied by an

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affidavit or affidavits of his or her employer or former employers or other reasonably satisfactory

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evidence showing that the applicant has been actually engaged in electrical work as an apprentice

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in Rhode Island during those three (3) years. Class M journeyperson electricians may qualify to

 

LC003585 - Page 2 of 4

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take the journeyperson "B" electrician examination upon registering as a fourth-year apprentice

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and becoming employed by a properly licensed Class A electrical contractor for that period of

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time.

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     (d) Apprentice lightning-protection installers are required to work a minimum of four

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thousand (4,000) hours over a period of time of not less than two (2) years to qualify for the

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lightning-protection installer (LPI) examination. Provided, that the test applicant has possessed

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for at least two (2) years prior to the filing of the application a certificate of registration in full

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force and effect from the department of labor and training specifying the person as an apprentice

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lightning-protection installer, and the application of an applicant is accompanied by an affidavit

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or affidavits of his or her employer or former employers or other reasonably satisfactory evidence

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showing that the applicant has been actually engaged in lightning-protection work as an

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apprentice during those two (2) years.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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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 allow the test applicant to earn the required credits towards the

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qualification for the journeyperson "B" electrical examination by completing two hundred eighty-

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eight (288) hours of classroom training in a recognized trade school. This act would also increase

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the required period of indentured apprenticeship with the department of labor and training and a

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licensed electrician master, from two (2) to four (4) years.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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