HB 103 — UTILITY OPERATOR CERTIFICATION ACT CHANGES

and g e i k (4) physical conditions affecting the h r i s treatment plants, collection systems and distribution systems;

h , t, B.

adopt rules providing standards and criteria for e u g e b l e e h the certification of operators based on their qualifications n d d i = = o h and their ability to operate public water supply systems or l ] b ,d i a º e public wastewater facilities of the various classifications;

r i = r t e w d m a n o C.

appoint a seven-member board from certified doperators mto :function with the commission to establish qualifications of operators, classify public water supply systems and public wastewater facilities, adopt rules and advise the department on the administration of the Utility Operators Certification Act.

b e d s º o t n = .218543.2SAAIC February 18, 2021 (11:44am) s k m e - 5 - e a n e d r e l u [ A d operators to function with the commission to establish qualifications of operators, classify public water supply systems and public wastewater facilities, adopt rules and advise the department on the administration of the Utility Operators Certification Act.

[and ] E.

and HB 103/a Page 5 F.

provide for the department to administer a h program for certification or review of qualifications of an g o t hr operator pursuant to the standards established pursuant to g e i k Subsection B of this section or for the assistance of an h r i s operator applicant through:

h , t, (1) a certification examination;

e u g e b l e e h (2) a certification testing application n d d i = = o h review;

l ] b ,d i a º e (3) an equivalency application review;

or r i = r t e w d m a n o (4) an examination review." dSECTION m3. :

b e d s º o t n = .218543.2SAAIC February 18, 2021 (11:44am) s k m e - 6 - e a n e d r e l u [ A d SECTION 3.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS--FEES--FUND CREATED--CREATED--ENDORSEMENT.-- ENDORSEMENT.-- A.

(1) [make] submit an application on forms [furnished ] provided by the department;

and (3) pay [in advance to the department all applicable fees setat bythe ruletime notthe toapplication exceed:is submitted, including any late penalty.

(a)A forlate examinationpenalty forshall be applied to a certification inrenewal application for each classificationmonth $100;that the HB 103/a Page 6 application is received by the department after the established application deadline for up to one year.

(b) for renewal of a certificate after a h period set by rule $40;

and g o t hr (c) for issuance of a certificate by g e i k endorsement $100] to the department all applicable fees at the h r i s time the application is submitted, including HSEICºa»HSEIC h , t, HSEICºany»HSEIC late penalty HSEICº,»HSEIC HSEICº.»HSEIC e u g e b l e e h HSEICºwhich»HSEIC HSEICºA late penalty»HSEIC shall be applied n d d i = = o h to a certification renewal application for each month that the l ] b ,d i a º e application is received by the department after the established r i = r t e w d m a n o HSEICºfee»HSEIC HSEICºapplication»HSEIC deadline for up to d m :

b e d s º o t n = .218543.2SAAIC February 18, 2021 (11:44am) s k m e - 7 - e a n e d r e l u [ A d one year.

The commission may approve subsequent adjustments in the fees for the services listed in Subsection B of this section and may promulgate rules pursuant to the State Rules Act and the Water Quality Act to establish reasonable fees for additional services necessary to support the purposes h of the Utility Operators Certification Act;

g o t hr (1) fees may not be increased more than once g e i k per calendar year;

and h r i s (2) the fee for certification examination h , t, shall not be greater than the fee charged by the association of e u g e b l e e h boards of certification or other examination provider approved n d d i = = o h by the department.

lHB ]103/a bPage ,d7 i a º e D.

A fee paid by an applicant approved by the r i = r t e w d m a n o department for a scheduled examination shall not be refundable.

dE. m :

b e d s º o t n = .218543.2SAAIC February 18, 2021 (11:44am) s k m e - 8 - e a n e d r e l u [ A d [B.] E.

[C.F.

]The F.department may, in its discretion, endorse for certification without examination an operator who submits evidence satisfactory to the department that the applicant has reached the age of majority and holds a valid license or certification in any state, territory or foreign jurisdiction having standards equal to or exceeding those of New Mexico." SECTION 4.

TheEFFECTIVE departmentDATE.--The may,effective indate itsof discretion, endorse for certification without examination an operator who submits evidence satisfactory to the departmentprovisions that the applicant has reached the age of majoritythis andact holdsis aJuly valid1, h2021. license or certification in any state, territory or foreign g o t hr jurisdiction having standards equal to or exceeding those of g e i k New Mexico.

hHB r103/a iPage s8 [D.25

Fees shall not be increased more than once per h , t, calendar year.

The first increase of the fees shall not result e u g e b l e e h in any fee greater than thirty dollars ($30.00).

Any n d d i = = o h subsequent increase of the fees shall not be more than five l ] b ,d i a º e percent of the existing fee.]" r i = r t e w d m a n o SECTION 4.

EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the d m :

b e d s º o t n = .218543.2SAAIC February 18, 2021 (11:44am) s k m e - 9 - e a n e d r e l u [ A d provisions of this act is July 1, 2021.

- 10 - » g o » r h t i k l i g t h s , e h t l i w l b l e e , g n d l h = = b , a l º d i a r e r = , a t e d m a n o d m :

b r e t º o t n = .218543.2SAAIC February 18, 2021 (11:44am) s k em e e a n e d r e l u [ A d