House File 2390 - Reprinted



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  COMMITTEE ON STATE
                                           GOVERNMENT

                                       (SUCCESSOR TO HF 2139)


    Passed House,  Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to the licensing and regulation of plumbers and
  2    mechanical professionals and providing effective dates.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 5556HV 82
  5 jr/rj/8

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  2007 Iowa Acts, chapter 198, section 6,
  1  2 subsection 2, is amended by striking the subsection and
  1  3 inserting in lieu thereof the following:
  1  4    2.  Examinations for the licenses which may be issued
  1  5 pursuant to this chapter shall be conducted at least two times
  1  6 per year at such times and locations as the department may fix
  1  7 in consultation with the board.  Applicants who fail to pass
  1  8 an examination shall be allowed to retake the examination at a
  1  9 future scheduled time.  Any subsequent opportunities to take
  1 10 the examination are available only at the discretion of the
  1 11 board.
  1 12    Sec. 2.  2007 Iowa Acts, chapter 198, section 6, is amended
  1 13 by adding the following new subsection:
  1 14    NEW SUBSECTION.  6.  The board shall adopt by rule a
  1 15 specific plumbing examination and a specific mechanical
  1 16 examination for each license type to be used for all plumbing
  1 17 and mechanical license examinations throughout the state.
  1 18    Sec. 3.  2007 Iowa Acts, chapter 198, section 7, is amended
  1 19 by adding the following new subsection:
  1 20    NEW SUBSECTION.  7.  Allowing an applicant who has failed
  1 21 an examination to request information about the subject areas
  1 22 which the applicant failed to answer correctly.  An applicant
  1 23 shall not have access to actual test questions and answers.
  1 24    Sec. 4.  2007 Iowa Acts, chapter 198, section 11,
  1 25 subsections 1 and 2, are amended to read as follows:
  1 26    1.  Apply to a person licensed as an engineer pursuant to
  1 27 chapter 542B, licensed as a manufactured home retailer or
  1 28 certified as a manufactured home installer pursuant to chapter
  1 29 103A, registered as an architect pursuant to chapter 544A, or
  1 30 licensed as a landscape architect pursuant to chapter 544B who
  1 31 provides consultations or develops plans or other work
  1 32 concerning plumbing, HVAC, refrigeration, or hydronic work who
  1 33 is exclusively engaged in the practice of the person's
  1 34 profession.
  1 35    2.  Require employees of municipal utilities, electric
  2  1 membership or cooperative associations, public utility
  2  2 corporations, rural water associations or districts,
  2  3 railroads, or commercial retail or industrial companies
  2  4 performing manufacturing, installation, service, or repair
  2  5 work for such employer to hold licenses while acting within
  2  6 the scope of their employment.  This licensing exemption does
  2  7 not apply to employees of a rate=regulated gas or electric
  2  8 public utility which provides plumbing or mechanical services
  2  9 as part of a systematic marketing effort, as defined pursuant
  2 10 to section 476.80.
  2 11    Sec. 5.  2007 Iowa Acts, chapter 198, section 11, is
  2 12 amended by adding the following new subsections:
  2 13    NEW SUBSECTION.  9.  Apply to an employee of any unit of
  2 14 state or local government, including but not limited to
  2 15 cities, counties, or school corporations, performing routine
  2 16 maintenance, as defined by rule, on a mechanical system or
  2 17 plumbing system, which serves a state=owned facility while
  2 18 acting within the scope of the state employee's employment.
  2 19    NEW SUBSECTION.  10.  Apply to the employees of
  2 20 manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, or wholesale
  2 21 suppliers who provide consultation or develop plans concerning
  2 22 plumbing, HVAC, refrigeration, or hydronic work, or who assist
  2 23 a person licensed under this chapter in the installation of
  2 24 mechanical or plumbing systems.
  2 25    Sec. 6.  2007 Iowa Acts, chapter 198, section 12, is
  2 26 amended by adding the following new unnumbered paragraph:
  2 27    NEW UNNUMBERED PARAGRAPH.  In addition to the certificate,
  2 28 the department shall provide each licensee with a wallet=sized
  2 29 licensing identification card.
  2 30    Sec. 7.  2007 Iowa Acts, chapter 198, section 17,
  2 31 subsection 1, is amended to read as follows:
  2 32    1.  The provisions of this chapter regarding the licensing
  2 33 of plumbing, HVAC, refrigeration, and hydronic professionals
  2 34 and contractors shall supersede and preempt all plumbing,
  2 35 HVAC, refrigeration, or hydronic licensing provisions of all
  3  1 governmental subdivisions.  On and after the effective date of
  3  2 this Act
  3  3    a.  A governmental subdivision that issues licenses on July
  3  4 1, 2008, shall continue to issue licenses until June 30, 2009.
  3  5 On July 1, 2009, all plumbing and mechanical licensing
  3  6 provisions promulgated by any governmental subdivision shall
  3  7 be null and void, except reciprocal licenses as provided in
  3  8 section 104C.21, and of no further force and effect, and.
  3  9    b.  On and after July 1, 2008, a governmental subdivision
  3 10 may shall not prohibit a plumbing, HVAC, refrigeration, or
  3 11 hydronic professional licensed pursuant to this chapter from
  3 12 performing services for which that person is licensed pursuant
  3 13 to this chapter or enforce any plumbing and mechanical
  3 14 licensing provisions promulgated by the governmental
  3 15 subdivision against a person licensed pursuant to this
  3 16 chapter.
  3 17    Sec. 8.  2007 Iowa Acts, chapter 198, section 18,
  3 18 subsection 2, paragraph b, subparagraph (3), is amended to
  3 19 read as follows:
  3 20    (3)  Provide the board with evidence of having completed at
  3 21 least four years of practical experience as an apprentice.
  3 22 Commencing January 1, 2010, the four years of practical
  3 23 experience required by this subparagraph must be an
  3 24 apprenticeship training program registered by the bureau of
  3 25 apprenticeship and training of the United States department of
  3 26 labor.
  3 27    Sec. 9.  2007 Iowa Acts, chapter 198, section 20,
  3 28 subsection 7, is amended by striking the subsection and
  3 29 inserting in lieu thereof the following:
  3 30    7.  The board shall, by rule, establish a reinstatement
  3 31 process for a licensee who allows a license to lapse for a
  3 32 period greater than one month, including reasonable penalties.
  3 33    Sec. 10.  2007 Iowa Acts, chapter 198, section 35, is
  3 34 repealed.
  3 35    Sec. 11.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  2007 Iowa Acts, chapter 198,
  4  1 sections 1 through 4, being deemed of immediate importance,
  4  2 take effect upon enactment of this Act.
  4  3    Sec. 12.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  2007 Iowa Acts, chapter 198,
  4  4 sections 5 through 27 and sections 30 through 34, take effect
  4  5 July 1, 2008.
  4  6    Sec. 13.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  2007 Iowa Acts, chapter 198,
  4  7 sections 28 and 29, take effect January 1, 2009.
  4  8 HF 2390
  4  9 jr/jg/25