SB 5320 — Concerning journey level electrician certifications of competency.

ENGROSSEDS-0202.2 SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5320 State of Washington 68th Legislature 2023 Regular Session By Senate Labor & Commerce (originally sponsored by Senators Saldaña, Keiser, King, Randall, and C.

Wilson)Wilson READRead FIRSTfirst TIMEtime 02/08/23.01/12/23.

Referred to Committee on Labor & Commerce.

amending RCW 19.28.19119.28.191; and 19.28.195;

providing an effective date;

providing an expiration date;

(c) To be eligible to take the examination for a journey level certificate of competency, the applicant must have ((successfully completed an)):

1 ESSBSB 5320 (c)(i) ToSuccessfully becompleted eligiblethe towork takeexperience and education requirements of an 8,000 hour electrical construction trade apprenticeship program approved under chapter 49.04 RCW ((or equivalent apprenticeship program approved by the examinationdepartment for athe journeyelectrical levelconstruction certificatetrade ofin competency,which the applicant mustworked havein ((successfullythe completedelectrical an)):construction trade for a minimum of eight thousand hours)).

(i)Four Successfullythousand completedof the workhours experience((shall)) andmust educationbe requirements((in)) ofnew anindustrial 8,000or hourcommercial electrical((electrical constructioninstallation)) tradeinstallations apprenticeshipunder programthe approvedsupervision underof chaptera 49.04master RCWjourney ((orlevel equivalentelectrician apprenticeshipor programjourney approvedlevel byelectrician theand departmentnot formore thethan electricala constructiontotal tradeof ((four thousand)) 4,000 hours in whichall specialties under the applicantsupervision workedof a master journey level electrician, journey level electrician, master specialty electrician working in thethat electricalelectrician's constructionspecialty, tradeor forspecialty aelectrician minimumworking ofin eightthat thousandelectrician's hours)).specialty.

Four thousand of the hours ((shall)) must be ((in)) new industrial or commercial electrical ((installation)) installations under the supervision of a master journey level electrician or journey level electrician and not more than a total of ((four thousand)) 4,000 hours in all specialties under the supervision of a master journey level electrician, journey level electrician, master specialty electrician working in that electrician's specialty, or specialty electrician working in that electrician's specialty.

Four thousand of the hours must be new electrical installations in industrial or commercial electricalfacilities; installations;

Four thousand of the hours must be new industrial or commercial electrical installations.

All experience applied toward qualifying for examination must be experience gained in the state p.that issued the certificate or military experience not exceeding that allowed under this chapter, or both;

2(iv) ESSBAt 5320least that16,000 issuedhours theof certificateout-of-state or military experience notin exceedingthe thatelectrical allowedconstruction undertrade thisinstalling chapter,and ormaintaining both;electrical p.

(iv)2 AtSB least5320 16,000 hours of out-of-state experience in the electrical construction trade installing and maintaining electrical wiring and equipment for installations of a type regulated under this chapter.

Four thousand of the hours must be new industrial or commercial electrical installations;

(i) Worked in the residential (as specified in WAC 296-46B-920(2)(a)), pump and irrigation (as specified in WAC 296-46B-920(2)(b)), sign (as specified in WAC 296-46B-920(2)(d)), limited energy (as specified in WAC 296-46B-920(2)(e)), nonresidential maintenance (as specified in WAC 296-46B-920(2)(g)),296-46B-920 (2)(g)), or other new nonresidential specialties as determined by the department in rule under the supervision of a master journey level electrician, journey level electrician, master specialty electrician working in that electrician's specialty, or specialty electrician working in that electrician's specialty for a minimum of ((four thousand)) 4,000 hours;

The initial period must be spent under one hundred percent supervision of a p.master journey level electrician, journey level electrician, master specialty electrician working in that electrician's specialty, or specialty electrician working in that electrician's specialty.

3 ESSB 5320 master journey level electrician, journey level electrician, master specialty electrician working in that electrician's specialty, or specialty electrician working in that electrician's specialty.

If thep. person passes the examination, the person may work unsupervised for the balance of the minimum hours required for certification.

3 SB 5320 the person passes the examination, the person may work unsupervised for the balance of the minimum hours required for certification.

(e) Any applicant for a journey level electrician certificate of competency who has successfully completed a two-year program in the electrical construction trade at public community or technical colleges, or not-for-profit nationally accredited technical or trade schools licensed by the workforce training and education coordinating board under chapter 28C.10 RCW, may substitute up to two years of the technical or trade school program for two years of work experience under a master journey level electrician or journey level electrician p.

4 ESSBSB 5320 schools licensed by the workforce training and education coordinating board under chapter 28C.10 RCW, may substitute up to two years of the technical or trade school program for two years of work experience under a master journey level electrician or journey level electrician required under the apprenticeship program.

(ii) In a two-year electrical training program, a minimum of ((two thousand four hundred)) 2,400 hours of student/instructor contact time must be technical electrical instruction directly p.related to the scope of work of the electrical specialty.

5 ESSB 5320 related to the scope of work of the electrical specialty.

(iv)p. Electrical specialty training school programs of less than two years will have all of the above student/instructor contact time hours proportionately reduced.

5 SB 5320 (iv) Electrical specialty training school programs of less than two years will have all of the above student/instructor contact time hours proportionately reduced.

Sec.

2.

RCW 19.28.195 and 2018 c 249 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) ((The)) Until July 1, 2026, notwithstanding RCW 19.28.161(2)(a)(i) and 19.28.191(1)(c)(i), the department ((may)) shall permit ((an applicant who obtained experience and training equivalent to a journey level apprenticeship program to take the examination if the applicant establishes that the applicant has the equivalent training and experience and demonstrates good cause for not completing the required minimum hours of work under standards applicable on July 1, 2023)):

(a) A person issued an electrical training certificate to work to gain the experience required to qualify for the journey level electrician certification examination without registering in an p.

6 ESSB 5320 apprenticeship program approved under chapter 49.04 RCW or equivalent out-of-state apprenticeship program if before July 1, 2023, the trainee has:

(i) 3,000 hours of lawful experience worked in the electrical construction trade regulated under this chapter;

or (ii) Completed a two-year training school program pursuant to RCW 19.28.191(1)(e).

(b) Electrical trainees described in (a) of this subsection to qualify for the journey level electrician certification examination without completing the work and education requirements of an apprenticeship approved under chapter 49.04 RCW or completing an equivalent out-of-state apprenticeship program.

To be eligible to take the examination for a journey level certificate of competency, the applicant must demonstrate 8,000 hours of lawful experience working in the electrical construction trade regulated under this chapter.

Four thousand of the hours must be new industrial or commercial electrical installations.

(2) This section expires July 1, ((2025)) 2026.

3.2.