HB 1533 — Allowing a specialty electrician to continue working under a valid specialty certificate of competency while enrolled in a journey level apprenticeship program.

ENGROSSEDH-0721.1 SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1533 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By House Labor & Workplace Standards (originally sponsored by Representatives Schmidt, Ramel, and Reed)Reed READRead FIRSTfirst TIMEtime 02/21/25.01/23/25.

Referred to Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards.

and addingamending aRCW new19.28.161. section to chapter 49.04 RCW.

NEW SECTION.

ARCW new19.28.161 sectionand is2018 addedc to249 chapters 49.042 RCWare each amended to read as follows:

(1) ExceptNo asperson providedmay engage in subsectionthe (4)electrical ofconstruction thistrade section,without forhaving anya generalvalid master journey level electrician apprenticeshipcertificate programof approvedcompetency, underjourney thislevel chapterelectrician thatcertificate isof operatedcompetency, bymaster anspecialty apprenticeshipelectrician committeecertificate representingof acompetency, singleor employer, the employer may use an apprentice registered in the program to perform work under the apprentice's valid specialty electrician certificate of competency issued by the department of labor and industries while participating in theaccordance programwith andthis withoutchapter. the employer having to change the apprentice's status in the program if:

(a)Electrician Thecertificate employer submits to the department of laborcompetency andspecialties industriesinclude, abut detailedare attestationnot oflimited theto: apprentice's hours worked under the apprentice's valid specialty electrician certificate of competency on a quarterly basis;

Residential, pump and irrigation, limited energy system, signs, nonresidential maintenance, restricted nonresidential maintenance, and appliance repair.

(2)(a) A person who is:

(i) Registered in an apprenticeship program approved under chapter 49.04 RCW or equivalent apprenticeship program approved by the department for the electrical construction trade;

(ii) learning the electrical construction trade while working in a specialty;

or (iii) learning the electrical construction trade p.

1 HB 1533 in a program described in RCW 19.28.191(1) (e) or (f) for a journey level certificate of competency may work in the electrical construction trade if supervised by a certified master journey level electrician, journey level electrician, master specialty electrician in that electrician's specialty, or specialty electrician in that electrician's specialty.

(b) All apprentices and individuals learning the electrical construction trade shall obtain an electrical training certificate from the department.

The certificate shall authorize the holder to learn the electrical construction trade while under the direct 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.

The certificate may include a photograph of the holder.

The holder of the electrical training certificate shall renew the certificate biennially.

At the time of renewal, the holder shall provide the department with an accurate list of the holder's employers in the electrical construction industry for the previous biennial period and the number of hours worked for each employer.

The holder shall also provide proof of ((forty-eight)) 48 hours of:

Approved classroom training covering this chapter, the national electrical code, or electrical theory;

or equivalent classroom training taken as part of an approved apprenticeship program under chapter 49.04 RCW or an approved electrical training program under RCW 19.28.191(1)(e).

A biennial fee shall be charged for the issuance or renewal of the certificate.

The department shall set the fee by rule.

The fee shall cover but not exceed the cost of administering and enforcing the trainee certification and supervision requirements of this chapter.

(c)(i) Apprentices and individuals learning the electrical construction trade shall have their electrical training certificates in their possession at all times that they are performing electrical work.

They shall show their certificates to an authorized representative of the department at the representative's request.

(ii) Unless working in a specialty, apprentices and individuals learning the electrical construction trade must also have in their possession proof of apprenticeship or training program registration.

They shall show their apprenticeship or training program registration documents to an authorized representative of the department at the representative's request.

p.

2 HB 1533 (3) Any person who has been issued an electrical training certificate under this chapter may work:

(a) If that person is under supervision, and is (b) unless working in a specialty, (i) registered in an approved journey level apprenticeship program, as appropriate;

or (ii) learning the electrical construction trade in a program described in RCW 19.28.191(1)(e) for a journey level certificate of competency.

Supervision shall consist of a person being on the same jobsite and under the control of either a certified 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.

Either a certified 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 shall be on the same jobsite as the noncertified individual for a minimum of ((seventy-five)) 75 percent of each working day unless otherwise provided in this chapter.

(4) The ratio of noncertified individuals to certified master journey level electricians, journey level electricians, master specialty electricians, or specialty electricians on any one jobsite is as follows:

(a) When working as a specialty electrician, not more than two noncertified individuals for every certified master specialty electrician working in that electrician's specialty, specialty electrician working in that electrician's specialty, master journey level electrician, or journey level electrician, except that the ratio requirements are one certified master specialty electrician working in that electrician's specialty, specialty electrician working in that electrician's specialty, master journey level electrician, or journey level electrician working as a specialty electrician to no more than four students enrolled in and working as part of an electrical construction program at public community or technical colleges, or not-for-profit nationally accredited trade or technical schools licensed by the workforce training and education coordinating board under chapter 28C.10 RCW.

In meeting the ratio requirements for students enrolled in an electrical construction program at a trade school, a trade school may receive input and advice from the electrical board;

and (b) When working as a journey level electrician, not more than one noncertified individual for every certified master journey level p.

3 HB 1533 electrician or journey level electrician, except that the ratio requirements shall be one certified master journey level electrician or journey level electrician to no more than four students enrolled in and working as part of an electrical construction program at public community or technical colleges, or not-for-profit nationally accredited trade or technical schools licensed by the workforce training and education coordinating board under chapter 28C.10 RCW.

In meeting the ratio requirements for students enrolled in an electrical construction program at a trade school, a trade school may receive input and advice from the electrical board.