It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Chapter 28-27 of the General Laws entitled "Pipefitters and Refrigeration Technicians, Fire Protection Sprinkler Contractors and Journeypersons, Sprinkler Fitters, Sheet Metal Contractors and Journeypersons and Oil Heat Contractors" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

28-27-9.1. Grandfathering -- Licensing of sheet metal contractors and sheet metal journeypersons without examination. -- (a) After enactment of this chapter and at any time prior to the expiration of twelve (12) months following enactment of this section, the authority shall, without examination, upon payment of the fees herein required issue through the department of labor and training, division of professional regulation a sheet metal contractor's license or sheet metal journeyperson's license to any applicant who shall present satisfactory evidence that he or she has the qualifications for the type of license applied for, and who has a minimum of five (5) years of verified experience in the sheet metal business covered by such license, as applicable.

(b) Any person qualified to obtain a sheet metal contractor's license or a sheet metal journeyperson's license under this section who is prevented from making application herefore by reason of service in the armed forces of the United States during the twelve (12) month period following enactment of this section shall have three (3) months after discharge or release from active duty to make such application.

SECTION 2. Section 28-27-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-27 entitled "Pipefitters and Refrigeration Technicians " is hereby amended to read as follows:

28-27-2. Licensing -- State board of pipefitter and refrigeration fire protection sprinkler contractors and journeypersons sprinkler fitters, sheet metal contractors/journeypersons sheet metal workers and oil heat contractors examiners created -- Chief inspector. -- Licensing -- State board of pipefitter and refrigeration fire protection sprinkler contractors and journeypersons sprinkler fitters, sheet metal contractors/journeypersons sheet metal workers and oil heat contractors examiners created -- Senior Chief inspector. (a) The division of professional regulation with the assistance of the bureau shall promulgate rules and regulations for the examining and licensing of pipefitter/refrigeration technicians and contractors and fire protection sprinkler contractors/journeypersons sprinkler fitters, sheet metal contractors/journeypersons sheet metal workers and oil heat contractors.

(b) (1) A state board of pipefitter/refrigeration and fire protection sprinkler contractors/journeypersons sprinkler fitters, sheet metal contractors or journeypersons sheet metal workers and oil heat contractors examiners is hereby created in the department of labor and training whose duty it shall be to advise the division in its area of expertise in promulgating such policy as may be necessary to improve the operations of the division in the area of expertise, and to hold license revocation and violations hearings as described herein. The promulgation of policy shall be subject to the approval of the division.

(2) The board shall consist of eleven (11) qualified electors of the state appointed by the governor as follows:

(i) One member who shall be a master pipefitter at the time of appointment, having at least ten (10) years in business as a master pipefitting contractor.

(ii) One member who shall be a refrigeration/air conditioning master contractor at the time of appointment, having at least ten (10) years in business as a refrigeration/air conditioning master contractor.

(iii) One member who has been employed as a pipefitter journeyperson for ten (10) years.

(iv) One member who has been employed as a refrigeration/air conditioning journeyperson for ten (10) years.

(v) One member who shall be a fire protection sprinkler systems contractor at the time of appointment, having at least ten (10) years in business as a fire protection sprinkler contractor.

(vi) One member who has been employed as a journeyperson sprinkler fitter for ten (10) years.

(vii) One member shall be the state fire marshal or his or her designee.

(viii) Two (2) members to be appointed from a list submitted by the Oil Heat Institute, Inc. and who have been doing business as oil heat contractors for at least ten (10) years.

(ix) One member who shall be a sheet metal contractor at the time of appointment, having at least ten (10) years in business as a sheet metal contractor.

(x) One member who has been employed as a journeyperson sheet metal worker for ten (10) years.

(3) Members shall be appointed to serve for three (3) years and their successors shall be appointed for three (3) years.

(4) On the expiration of the term of any master, journeyperson, or oil heat contractor member of the board, the governor shall appoint for a term of three (3) years a master, journeyperson or oil heat contractor member having the qualifications required by this chapter to take the place of the master, journeyperson, or oil heat contractor whose term has expired.

(5) Any vacancy which shall occur for any cause shall be filled by appointment by the governor for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(6) The board shall have an advisory role in the preparation and composition of the license examinations to be administered by the division. Subsequent to the administration of the examinations, the board of examiners shall review the examinations to evaluate their effectiveness.

(c) A chair shall be elected every three (3) years from the members; a majority will constitute a quorum of the full bureau. The senior chief inspector for the division shall have both a master pipefitter I and master refrigeration I license, with a minimum of five (5) years employment in the state of Rhode Island as a journeyperson and five (5) years as a contractor. He or she shall be appointed by the licensing bureau and the position shall be in the classified service at not less than pay grade 231 335.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.