WEST virginia legislature
2020 regular session
Originating
House Bill 4960
By Delegates Howell, C. Martin, Wilson and Jennings
[Originating in the Committee on Government Organization; Reported on February 19, 2020.]
A BILL to amend and reenact §29-3B-3 of the Code of West Virginia,1931, as amended, relating to exempting from licensure as an electrician a person who installs low voltage electrical wiring.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
ARTICLE 3B. SUPERVISION OF ELECTRICIANS.
§29-3B-3. Exemptions; nonapplicability of license requirements; legislative rules for limited reciprocity.
(a) This article does not apply to and no license may be
required for: (1) A person, or their immediate family, who performs
electrical work with respect to any property owned or leased by that person; (2)
a person who performs electrical work 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 electrical work
while employed by an employer who engages in the business of selling appliances
at retail, so long as such electrical work is performed incident 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 electrical work
in connection with the furnishing of public utility service; or (5) any
government employee performing electrical work on government property; or
(6) any person who installs low voltage electrical (Fire and Burglar Alarm
Communication Systems) with only low voltage wiring, 80 volts or less, and is
not installed in a location considered as hazardous under the National
Electrical Code.
(b)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article to the contrary, a journeyman or master electrician license may be issued for a person who is a former resident of this state, who formerly held an electrician’s license issued by this state, who has obtained an equivalent electrician license from another state, and who returns to this state as a permanent resident, without requiring the person to meet the application or examination requirements that would otherwise be imposed on the person by the requirements of this article when the issuance of the license is permitted by legislative rules promulgated pursuant to the provisions of this subsection.
(2) The State Fire Marshal shall propose rules for legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code to provide for the licensing of electricians with equivalent qualifications described in subdivision (1) of this subsection. Notwithstanding any other provision of this code to the contrary, the legislative rules described in this subsection may not be filed as emergency rules.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to exempt from licensure as an electrician a person who only installs low voltage wiring.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.