WEST virginia legislature

2020 regular session

Introduced

House Bill 4155

By Delegates Jennings, Foster, Kessinger, Hardy, Bibby, Cowles, Sypolt and Steele

[Introduced January 14, 2020; Referred to the Committee on Government Organization]

A BILL to amend and reenact §21-14-2 and §21-14-3 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, all relating generally to the regulation of plumbers; exempting individuals who perform plumbing work under $5,000 from being a licensed plumber; and reducing the number of hours of plumbing work experience in order for an individual to be considered a “journeyman plumber,” a “master plumber,” and a “plumber in training.”

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 14. SUPERVISION OF PLUMBING WORK.

§21-14-2. Definitions.

As used in this article:

(a) License means a valid and current license issued by the Commissioner of Labor in accordance with the provisions of this article.

(b) Journeyman plumber means a person qualified by at least eight thousand 1,000 hours of plumbing or related experience and who is competent to instruct and supervise the work of a plumber in training.

(c) Master plumber means a person with at least twelve thousand 2,000 hours of plumbing work experience and who is competent to design plumbing systems, and to instruct and supervise the plumbing work of journeyman plumbers, and plumbers in training.

(d) Plumber in training means a person with interest in and an aptitude for performing plumbing work but who alone is not capable of performing plumbing work, and who has fewer than eight thousand 1000 hours of plumbing experience.

(e) Plumbing means the practice, materials, and fixtures utilized within a building in the installation, extension, and alteration of all piping, fixtures, water treatment devices, plumbing appliances, and appurtenances, in connection with sanitary drainage or storm drainage facilities; the plumbing venting systems; medical gas systems; fuel oil and gas piping for residential, commercial, and institutional facilities; backflow preventers; and public or private water supply systems, as defined by the state building code.

(f) Single family dwelling means a building which is occupied as, or designed or intended for occupancy as, a single residence for one or more persons.

§21-14-3. License required; exemptions.

(a) On and after January 1, 2009, a person performing or offering to perform plumbing work in this state shall have a license issued by the Commissioner of Labor, in accordance with the provisions of this article.

(b) A person licensed under this article must carry a copy of the license on any job in which plumbing work is being performed.

(c) This article does not apply to:

(1) A person who personally performs plumbing work on a single-family dwelling owned or leased by that person or by a member of that persons immediate family;

(2) A person who performs plumbing at any manufacturing plant or other industrial establishment as an employee of the person, firm, or corporation operating the plant or establishment;

(3) A person who performs plumbing work while employed by an employer who engages in the business of selling appliances at retail, so long as such plumbing work is performed incidental to the installation or repair of appliances sold by the employer;

(4) A person who, while employed by a public utility or its affiliate, performs plumbing in connection with the furnishing of public utility service;

(5) A person who performs plumbing work while engaging in the business of installing, altering, or repairing water distribution or drainage lines outside the foundation walls of a building, public or private sewage treatment, or water treatment systems including all associated structures or buildings, sewers, or underground utility services;

(6) A person who performs plumbing work while engaged in the installation, extension, dismantling, adjustment, repair, servicing, or alteration of a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, air-veyor system, air exhaust system, or air handling system;

(7) A person who performs plumbing work at a coal mine that is being actively mined or where coal is being processed; or

(8) A person who performs plumbing work at manufacturing, industrial, and natural gas facilities; or

(9)   A person who performs plumbing work for a total cost under $5000.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to exempt individuals who perform plumbing work under $5000 from being a licensed plumber. The bill reduces the number of hours of plumbing work experience in order for an individual to be considered a “journeyman plumber,” a “master plumber,” and a “plumber in training.”

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.