Act No. 121

Public Acts of 1997

Approved by the Governor

October 24, 1997

Filed with the Secretary of State

October 24, 1997

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 24, 1997

STATE OF MICHIGAN

89TH LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 1997

Introduced by Senator Rogers

ENROLLED SENATE BILL No. 120

AN ACT to amend 1929 PA 266, entitled "An act to protect the health, and promote the safety and welfare of the people, by regulating the installation, alteration, maintenance, improvement and inspection of plumbing; to define plumbing and the classification of plumbers; to provide for the issuing of licenses and permits pertaining thereto and the disposition of moneys derived therefrom; to create a plumbing board, and to prescribe its powers and duties; to authorize cities, villages and townships to adopt and enforce certain standards; to establish remedies and fix penalties for violation of the provisions of this act," by amending section 8 (MCL 338.908), as amended by 1989 PA 106.

The People of the State of Michigan enact:

Sec. 8. (1) A person applying for a plumber's license shall apply to the plumbing board and submit the fee prescribed in this section. A person applying for an authorized master plumber's license shall also pay any amount required to be paid under the construction lien act, 1980 PA 497, MCL 570.1101 to 570.1305, which amount shall be paid to the department of consumer and industry services for deposit in the homeowner construction lien recovery fund. An applicant shall be licensed only after passing a satisfactory examination. The plumbing board shall conduct each examination for a license as a master plumber or journeyman plumber, which shall consist of oral, written, and practical tests. The master plumber's examination shall cover the science and practice of plumbing, knowledge of the state plumbing code, laws, rules, and regulations, interpretation of charts and blueprints, and plans of plumbing installations. The journeyman plumber's examination shall cover the theory and practice of plumbing, and knowledge of the state plumbing code, rules, and regulations.

(2) The plumbing board shall take into consideration the character, experience, and fitness of an applicant. Each applicant shall be of good moral character, as defined and determined under 1974 PA 381, MCL 338.41 to 338.47.

(3) The application fee for the examination for a master plumber's license is $50.00 and the application fee for the examination for a journeyman plumber's license is $25.00. The plumbing board shall issue to an applicant an appropriate license upon passing the examination and after paying the appropriate license fee.

(4) A journeyman plumber shall pay a fee of $20.00 for renewal of a license. A journeyman plumber's license expires on December 31 of each year and may be renewed upon application submitted before March 1 of each year. A journeyman plumber's license not renewed by March 1 is void and may be reinstated only upon application for reinstatement and the payment of the appropriate license fee. Beginning January 1, 1998, an initial or renewal journeyman plumber license expires on April 30, 1999. Beginning January 1, 1998, the plumbing board shall charge the $20.00 yearly license fee as well as a pro rata license fee of $6.67 representing the time between January 1, 1999 and April 30, 1999. After April 30, 1999, the applicant's license is renewable annually upon application and payment of the $20.00 license fee not later than June 30. In the case of a person applying for initial license at a time other than between April 30 and June 30, the person shall pay the fee of $20.00.

(5) Beginning January 1, 1998, an initial or renewal master plumber's license issued under this act expires on April 30, 2001. Beginning January 1, 1998, the plumbing board shall charge a 3-year license fee of $200.00 as well as a pro rata license fee of $22.00 representing the time between January 1, 2001 and April 30, 2001. After April 30, 2001, the applicant's license expires every third year thereafter and is renewable not later than June 30 upon application and payment of the $200.00 license fee. In the case of a person applying for an initial or reinstatement license at a time other than between April 30 and June 30 of the year in which the plumbing board issues renewal licenses, the department shall compute and charge the license fee on a yearly pro rata basis beginning the year of the application until the last year of the 3-year license cycle. A master plumber's license not renewed by June 30 in a renewal year is void and may be reinstated only upon application for reinstatement and the payment of the appropriate license fee.

(6) Upon payment of the required fee, the plumbing board may license without examination applicants licensed under the laws of other states having requirements for licensing plumbers and for regulating plumbing which the plumbing board determines are equivalent to the requirements of this state.

(7) Each holder of a license granted under this act shall promptly notify the plumbing board of a change in his or her business or residence address.

(8) A plumber's apprentice required to be registered under this act shall be of good moral character as defined and determined under 1974 PA 381, MCL 338.41 to 338.47.

(9) As used in this section, "authorized master plumber" means a licensed master plumber who is authorized to secure plumbing installation permits.

(10) The department shall annually submit to the members of the legislature a comprehensive report detailing the expenditure of the additional money resulting from the 1989 amendatory act that increased the fees contained in this section.

This act is ordered to take immediate effect.

Secretary of the Senate.

Clerk of the House of Representatives.

Approved

Governor.