Bill No.: HB0015                     Drafter:  LGC

LSO No.:   10LSO-0042                 Effective Date:  7/1/2010

Enrolled Act No.:    HEA0055

Chapter No.:

Prime Sponsor:       Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Interim Committee

Catch Title:         Electrical safety and fire prevention-revisions.

Subject:              Revisions to statutes governing fire prevention and electrical safety.

Summary/Major Elements:

· The act is in response to an audit by the management audit committee.  The act clarifies the roles of the department of electrical safety and fire prevention, the council on fire prevention and electrical safety in buildings and the electrical board.

· The act authorizes the chief electrical inspector to investigate the cause, origin and circumstances of each incident of electrocution or serious injury from electrical contact in the state with exceptions for federal control and regulation by the public service commission.

· The act requires plan and plan review amendment if code deficiencies are discovered by the fire marshal during construction or remodeling.

· Raises the dollar amount that triggers a plan review on remodels and allows plan reviews to be submitted and approved in phases.

· Requires withholding or suspension of an electrician license for failure to pay child support the same as for other licensure laws.

· Raises certain permit fees and raises the percentage of fees the department may retain for providing state inspectors.

· Requires local fire inspectors hired after July 1, 2010 to be certified by a national organization.  Requires local electrical inspectors to be certified by a national organization and licensed by the state as a journeyman or master electrician.  Failure to maintain employment of a person properly certified will cause the municipality to lose local enforcement authority.

· Provides for appeals to local appeals boards and further appeal to the council.  Decisions of the council may be appealed to district court.  Members of local appeals boards may not include the person whose decision is being appealed.  The act requires all appeals to be heard within thirty days of the request for appeal.

· The act waives the master or journeyman licensing requirements for certain low voltage lawn sprinkler installations and satellite-TV and telecommunications installations.

· The act requires the electrical board to set minimum standards for training, licensing and reciprocal licensing through rule and regulation.

· The act provides that the electrical board may suspend or cancel an electrical license for repeated or serious violations of the act and defines a serious violation as one that poses a risk of injury or death or is likely to result in property damage exceeding $2,500.