MILITARY EXPERIENCE FOR LICENSURE H.B. 5582 (H-1), 5583 (H-1), & 5590 (H-2):
COMMITTEE SUMMARY
House Bill 5582 (Substitute H-1 as passed by the House)
House Bill 5583 (Substitute H-1 as passed by the House)
House Bill 5590 (Substitute H-2 as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Gail Haines (H.B. 5582)
Representative Mark Ouimet (H.B. 5583)
Representative Joseph Graves (H.B. 5590)
House Committee: Military and Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security
Senate Committee: Veterans, Military Affairs and Homeland Security
CONTENT
House Bills 5582 (H-1), 5583 (H-1), and 5590 (H-2) would amend the Electrical Administrative Act, the State Plumbing Act, and the Private Security Business and Security Alarm Act, respectively, to allow certain experience gained while a person was serving in the Armed Forces to meet the experience qualifications for an electrical journeyman's license, a journey plumber's license, or licensure as a private security guard or agency, as applicable.
In all three bills, "armed forces" would mean that term as defined in the Veteran Right to Employment Services Act (the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, or other military force designated by Congress as a part of the U.S. Armed Forces).
House Bill 5582 (H-1)
Under the Electrical Administrative Act, the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) must issue an electrical journeyman's license to a person who is at least 20 years of age and has certain qualifications. One of those qualifications is having at least 8,000 hours of experience related to electrical construction or maintenance of buildings or electrical wiring or equipment, obtained over a period of at least four years, under the direct supervision of a person licensed under the Act.
Under the bill, LARA would have to issue a journeyman's license to a person who met the experience requirement described above or who, while on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces, served as an interior electrician or in an equivalent job classification; was honorably discharged from military service within one year before filing a licensing application; and provided with the application an affidavit signed by a commanding officer, supervisor, or military superior with direct knowledge of the applicant's service stating that he or she had at least 8,000 hours of entry-level experience in, and basic knowledge of, each of the following:
-- General knowledge of the electrical trade, including terminology and the ability to make practical calculations.
-- The determination of system and circuit grounding and design and use requirements for grounding, including choosing proper size grounding conductors.
-- Knowledge of circuit classifications and ratings and design and use requirements for circuits, including branch circuit loads.
-- The determination of ampacity, type of insulation, usage requirements, methods of installation, protection, support, and termination.
-- Knowledge regarding the installation of motors and control circuits.
-- The calculation of electrical loads and determination of proper size, rating, and type of service and feeder conductors.
-- Knowledge regarding fuses, circuit breakers, and all types of protective devices for conductors and equipment.
-- Knowledge of all types of raceways and their uses, including determining proper size, conductor fill, support, and methods of installation.
-- Knowledge of circuits and equipment characterized by usage and electrical power limitations, including differentiating them from electric light and power circuits.
-- Knowledge of all types of applications of lighting fixtures, ratings, requirements for occupancies, special provisions, and clearances.
If an applicant otherwise met those requirements but had not attained 8,000 hours of entry-level experience or did not have basic knowledge in each of the areas listed above, he or she could provide with the application an affidavit signed by a commanding officer, supervisor, or military superior with direct knowledge of the applicant's service, stating the amount of experience the applicant had attained and of which areas the applicant had basic knowledge. In that case, LARA could in its discretion grant the applicant credit toward the 8,000-hour experience requirement based on his or her experience.
House Bill 5583 (H-1)
Under the State Plumbing Act, LARA must issue a journey plumber's license to a person who is at least 18 and has certain qualifications. One of those qualifications is having at least 6,000 hours of experience as an apprentice plumber in the practical installation of plumbing, gained over at least three years under the supervision of a master plumber.
Under the bill, LARA would have to issue a journey plumber's license to an applicant who met the 6,000-hour experience requirement or who, while on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces, served as a plumber or in an equivalent job classification; was honorably discharged from military service in the one year before filing the application; and provided with his or her application an affidavit signed by a commanding officer, supervisor, or military superior with direct knowledge of the applicant's service stating that he or she had at least 6,000 hours of entry-level experience in, and basic knowledge of, each of the following:
-- The terminology of the plumbing trade and the ability to make practical calculations.
-- Knowledge related to drainage systems.
-- Knowledge related to plumbing fixtures.
-- Knowledge related to water and backflow protection.
-- Knowledge related to storm and special wastewater disposal.
-- Knowledge related to testing an inspection of plumbing.
-- Knowledge related to venting.
If an applicant otherwise met those requirements but had not attained 6,000 hours of entry-level experience or did not have basic knowledge in each of the areas listed above, he or she could provide with the application an affidavit signed by a commanding officer, supervisor, or military superior with direct knowledge of the applicant's service, stating the amount of experience the applicant had attained and of which areas the applicant had basic knowledge. In that case, LARA could in its discretion grant the applicant credit toward the 6,000-hour experience requirement based on his or her experience.
House Bill 5590 (H-2)
Under the Private Security Business and Security Alarm Act, LARA must issue a license to conduct a business as a security alarm system contractor or a private security guard, private security police, or to a private security guard business if it is satisfied that the applicant has certain qualifications. If the applicant is applying for a private security guard or agency license, he or she must have been lawfully engaged in one or more of the following:
-- The private security guard or agency business on his or her own account in another state for at least three years.
-- The private security guard or agency business for at least four years as an employee of the holder of a certificate of authority to conduct that business and has experience reasonably equivalent to at least four years of full-time guard work in a supervisory capacity with rank above that of patrolman.
-- Law enforcement as a certified police officer on a full-time basis for at least four years for a city, county, or state government, or for the U.S. government.
-- The private security guard or agency business as an employee or on his or her own account, or as a security administrator in private business for at least two years on a full-time basis, and graduated with a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent in the field of police administration or industrial security from an accredited college or university.
Under the bill, as an alternative to any of those requirements, an applicant could qualify if he or she had been on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces as a military police officer or in an equivalent job classification for at least three years; had been honorably discharged from military service; and provided with his or her application an affidavit signed by a commanding officer, supervisor, or military superior with direct knowledge of the applicant's service stating that he or she had entry-level experience in or basic knowledge of each of the following:
-- Enforcing rules, regulations, and guidelines.
-- Providing security and physical protection.
-- Area and site security operations.
-- Overseeing prisoners and correctional facilities.
-- Reconnaissance and surveillance.
MCL 338.883d (H.B. 5582) Legislative Analyst: Patrick Affholter
338.3535 (H.B. 5583)
338.1056 (H.B. 5590)
FISCAL IMPACT
House Bills 5582 (H-1) and 5583 (H-1)
The bills would have a minor, but positive fiscal impact on the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. The bills essentially would allow veterans to apply their relevant military experience toward hour requirements for licensure as a journeyman plumber or electrician. Since individuals who met these criteria would be licensed as a journeyman rather than apprentice, they would have to pay the journeyman annual license fees, which are $40 for both plumbers and electricians, rather than the apprentice fees, which are $15 for both professions. This would serve to increase the amount of revenue received by the Bureau of Commercial Services by a likely small amount.