2021 -- S 0268

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LC001589

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS -- ROOFING CONTRACTORS

     Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, Lombardo, Picard, Seveney, and Gallo

     Date Introduced: February 10, 2021

     Referred To: Senate Labor

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 5-73-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-73 entitled "Roofing

Contractors" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     5-73-3. Registration and licensing of roofing contractors.

     (a) All roofing contractors, in addition to the requirements of chapter 65 of this title entitled

"Contractor's Registration and Licensing Board," if applicable, prior to conducting roofing business

in the state of Rhode Island, shall first submit an application to and be licensed by the contractors'

registration and licensing board on the form or forms that the board requires. The application shall

include the following information:

     (1) The name of the applicant;

     (2) The business address of the applicant;

     (3) The mailing address of the applicant;

     (4) The telephone number of the applicant;

     (5) The name of the party or officer who shall be responsible for all roofing activities

conducted in the state of Rhode Island;

     (6) Any registration number and/or other license numbers issued by the state, or any city

or town; and

     (7) A statement of the skills, training, and experience of the applicant sufficient to ensure

public safety, health, and welfare.

     (b) Licensing requirements shall not apply to roofing contractors applying shingles only.

     (c) To be eligible for licensure as a roofing contractor, an applicant shall also fulfill the

following requirements:

     (1) Be of good moral character;

     (2) Pass an examination approved or administered by the contractors' registration and

licensing board or has previously been registered as a commercial roofer in good standing and has

met all the requirements of the rules and regulations established by the board;

     (3) Be in good standing with the contractors' registration and licensing board;

     (4) All field personnel of the roofing contractor must have a current certificate of

completion of the ten-hours (10) OSHA safety course or equivalent thereof as determined by the

contractors' registration and licensing board;

     (5) Take ten (10) twelve (12) hours continuing roofing education per year two-year

licensing cycle as set forth and recognized by the contractors' registration and licensing board; and

     (6) Be bonded in the aggregate amount of the total dollar value of any contract entered into

to perform roofing work; single project in the amount of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000)

minimum; and

     (7) Provide the board with an insurance certificate in the amount of two million dollars

($2,000,000) one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) per occurrence pursuant to

the established rules and regulations, with the board as the holder, from the date of issuance,

continuously.

     (d)(1) The contractors' registration and licensing board is authorized to adopt rules and

regulations pursuant to the administrative procedures act, chapter 35 of title 42, necessary to

effectuate the purposes of this chapter.

     (2) Rules and regulations shall provide a fine schedule that will establish grounds for

discipline for licensee holders or nonlicensed contractors.

     (3) Fines shall be structured not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000) per day, per

offense for conduct injurious to the welfare of the public as well as those required pursuant to § 5-

65-10.

     (e) Any person applying for a license or registration and making any material misstatement

as to his or her experience or other qualifications, or any person, firm, or corporation subscribing

to or vouching for any misstatement shall be subject to the discipline and penalties provided in §

5-65-10.

     (f) No corporation, firm, association, or partnership shall engage in the business of

commercial roofing or represent itself as a commercial roofing contractor unless a licensed

commercial roofer as provided in this chapter is continuously engaged in the supervision of its

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commercial roofing work, provided that the commercial roofer is a general partner or an officer

and shareholder in the firm or corporation. If the license holder dies or otherwise becomes

incapacitated, the corporation, firm, or association shall be allowed to continue to operate until the

next examination shall be given or such times as the board shall see fit. In no event shall the

corporation, firm, association, or partnership continue to operate longer than twelve (12) months

or in accordance with the board's established rules and regulations without satisfying the license

requirements of this chapter. Those roofers who have been registered with the board on July 1,

2003 2015, and remain in good standing, shall be exempt from the testing requirements set forth in

this chapter.

     (g) Complaints filed with the board shall be heard only in regard to those issues so

established in the rules and regulations.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS -- ROOFING CONTRACTORS

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     This act would amend the registration and licensure requirements of roofing contractors by

modifying the requirement of ten (10) hours of continuing education per year to twelve (12) hours

of continuing education every two (2) years. This act further increases the requirement of an

insurance certificate from one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) to the amount of

two million dollars ($2,000,000).

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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