HOUSE BILL NO. 6241

September 22, 2020, Introduced by Reps. Howell, Frederick, Markkanen, Cherry, Guerra, Sneller and Sabo referred to the Committee on Regulatory Reform.

"Skilled trades regulation act,"

by amending sections 701 and 737 (MCL 339.5701 and 339.5737), section 701 as amended by 2018 PA 151.

the people of the state of michigan enact:

Sec. 701. As used in this article:

(a) "Apprentice electrician" means an individual other than an electrical contractor, master electrician, or electrical journeyman, who is engaged in learning about and assisting in the installation or alteration of electrical wiring and equipment under the direct personal supervision of an electrical journeyman or master electrician.

(b) "Board" means the electrical administrative board described in section 705.

(c) "Electric sign" means fixed, stationary, or portable self-contained, electrically illuminated equipment that has words or symbols designed to convey information or attract attention. Electric sign includes outline lighting. Electric sign does not include those signs that are indoor or outdoor portable applications or recognized holiday residential signs listed with a recognized testing and approval agency and that use a cord cap-110 volt plug as the electrical energizing attachment method.

(d) (c) "Electrical contractor" means a person that is engaged in the business of erecting, installing, altering, repairing, servicing, or maintaining electrical wiring.

(e) "Electrical energy supply agency" means any of the following:

(i) An electric utility as that term is defined in section 2 of the electric transmission line certification act, 1995 PA 30, MCL 460.562.

(ii) An independent transmission company as that term is defined in section 2 of the electric transmission line certification act, 1995 PA 30, MCL 460.562.

(iii) A municipal electric utility system as that term is defined in section 4 of the Michigan energy employment act of 1976, 1976 PA 448, MCL 460.804.

(iv) An electric cooperative headquartered in this state organized as a cooperative corporation under sections 98 to 109 of 1931 PA 327, MCL 450.98 to 450.109, that serves primarily members of the cooperative electric utility.

(f) (d) "Electrical journeyman" means an individual other than an electrical contractor who, as his or her principal occupation, is engaged in the practical installation or alteration of electrical wiring. An electrical contractor or master electrician may also be an electrical journeyman.

(e) "Electric sign" means fixed, stationary, or portable self-contained, electrically illuminated equipment that has words or symbols designed to convey information or attract attention. Electric sign includes outline lighting. Electric sign does not include those signs that are indoor or outdoor portable applications or recognized holiday residential signs listed with a recognized testing and approval agency and that use a cord cap-110 volt plug as the electrical energizing attachment method.

(g) (f) "Electrical wiring" means all wiring, generating equipment, fixtures, appliances, devices, and appurtenances in connection with the generation, distribution, and utilization of electrical energy, in or on a building, residence, structure, or properties, regardless of whether or not the electrical wiring is energized at the time of installation. The term includes service entrance wiring as defined in the Michigan electrical code.

(h) (g) "Fire alarm contractor" means a person that is engaged in the business of erecting, installing, altering, repairing, servicing, or maintaining the wiring, or the associated devices, appliances, or equipment of a fire alarm system.

(i) (h) "Fire alarm specialty apprentice technician" means an individual other than a fire alarm contractor or a fire alarm specialty technician who is engaged in learning about and assisting in the installation or alteration of fire alarm system wiring and equipment under the direct personal supervision of a fire alarm specialty technician.

(j) (i) "Fire alarm specialty licensure" means licensure as a fire alarm contractor or a fire alarm specialty or apprentice technician.

(k) (j) "Fire alarm specialty technician" means an individual other than a fire alarm contractor who, as his or her principal occupation, is engaged in the design and practical installation or alteration of fire alarm systems. An individual who is a fire alarm contractor may also be a fire alarm specialty technician.

(l) (k) "Fire alarm system" means a system that is designed to detect and annunciate the presence of fire, or by-products of fire, installed in a building or structure. Fire alarm system does not include a single station smoke detector.

Sec. 737. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3), or elsewhere in this article, or in subsection (3), a person shall not engage in the business of electrical contracting unless the person has received from the board or from the appropriate municipality an electrical contractor's license.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3), or elsewhere in this article, or in subsection (3), an individual, other than an individual who is licensed under this article and employed by and working under the direction of a holder of an electrical contractor's license, shall not in any manner undertake to execute any electrical wiring.

(3) A licensee license is not required to perform any of the following classes of work:

(a) Minor repair work.

(b) The installation, alteration, repairing, rebuilding, or remodeling of elevators, dumbwaiters, escalators, or man lifts performed under a permit issued by an elevator inspection agency of this state or a municipality of this state.

(c) The installation, alteration, or repair of electrical equipment and its associated wiring installed on the premises of consumers or subscribers by or for an electrical energy supply agency or communication agency for use by that agency in the generation, transmission, distribution, or metering of electrical energy or for the operation of signals or transmission of intelligence.

(d) The installation, alteration, or repair of electrical wiring for the generation and primary distribution of electric current, or the secondary distribution system up to and including the meters, if that work is an integral part of the system owned and operated by an electric light and power utility electrical energy supply agency in rendering its duly authorized service.

(e) Any work involved in the manufacture of electric equipment, including the testing and repairing of that manufactured equipment.

(f) The installation, alteration, or repair of equipment and its associated wiring for the generation or distribution of electric energy for the operation of signals or transmission of intelligence if that work is performed in connection with a communication system owned or operated by a telephone or telegraph company or electrical energy supply agency in rendering its the company's or agency's authorized service. as a telephone or telegraph company.

(g) Any installation, alteration, or repair of electrical equipment by a homeowner in a single family home and accompanying outbuildings owned and occupied or to be occupied by the individual who is performing the installation, alteration, or repair of electrical equipment.

(h) Any work involved in the use, maintenance, operation, dismantling, or reassembling of motion picture and theatrical equipment used in any building with approved facilities for entertainment or educational use and that has the necessary permanent wiring and floor and wall receptacle outlets designed for the proper and safe use of that theatrical equipment, but not including any permanent wiring.

(i) Work performed by a person that is licensed as a mechanical contractor in a classification described in section 807(2)(a), (b), (d), (e), and (f), a person that is licensed as a plumbing contractor under article 11, and employees of those persons, while performing maintenance, service, repair, replacement, alteration, modification, reconstruction, or upgrading of control wiring circuits and electrical component parts in existing mechanical systems defined in the Michigan mechanical code and the Michigan plumbing code, including, but not limited to, energy management systems, relays and controls on boilers, water heaters, furnaces, air conditioning compressors and condensers, fan controls, thermostats and sensors, and all interconnecting wiring associated with the mechanical systems in buildings that are on the load side of the unit disconnect, that is located on or immediately adjacent to the equipment, except for life safety systems wiring.

(j) Electrical wiring associated with the installation, removal, alteration, or repair of a water well pump on a single family dwelling to the first point of attachment in the house from the well, by a pump installer registered under part 127 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.12701 to 333.12771.

(k) The installation, maintenance, or servicing of security alarm systems in a building or structure. As used in this subdivision, "security alarm system" means that term as defined in section 733(2)(c).733.

(l) The installation, maintenance, or servicing of listed residential and commercial lawn irrigation equipment, except any permanent wired connections exceeding 30 volts.

(m) The installation, maintenance, or servicing of listed landscape lighting systems and equipment, except any permanent wired connections exceeding 30 volts.

(n) The installation, alteration, maintenance, or repair of electric signs and related wiring by an unlicensed individual under the direct supervision of a licensed sign specialist except that the ratio of unlicensed individuals engaged in this activity shall not exceed 2 unlicensed individuals to 1 licensed sign specialist. An enforcing agency shall enforce this ratio on a jobsite basis.

(o) The construction, installation, maintenance, repair, and renovation of telecommunications equipment and related systems by a person that is primarily engaged in the telecommunications and related information systems industry. This exemption does not include the construction, installation, maintenance, repair, or renovation of a fire alarm system.