2024 -- S 2688

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LC005345

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS -- ELECTRICIANS

     Introduced By: Senators Ciccone, F. Lombardi, DiPalma, Britto, Zurier, Burke, and
Tikoian

     Date Introduced: March 01, 2024

     Referred To: Senate Labor

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Sections 5-6-8, 5-6-11 and 5-6-16 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-6 entitled

"Electricians" are hereby amended to read as follows:

     5-6-8. Contractor’s certificates/licenses.

     (a) Electrical contractor’s license. A Certificate A shall be issued to any person, firm, or

corporation, qualified under this chapter, engaging in, or about to engage in, the business of

installing, maintaining, servicing, and testing electrical wires, conduits, apparatus, fixtures, fire

alarm and safety communication systems, and other electrical appliances, excluding low-voltage

wiring for heating, ventilating, and air conditioning equipment. The certificate shall specify the

name of the person, firm, or corporation applying for it and the name of the person, who in the case

of a firm is one of its members, and in the case of a corporation, is one of its officers, passing the

examination by which he or she or it is authorized to enter upon, or engage in, business as prescribed

in the certificate. The holding of a Certificate A does not entitle the holder individually to engage

in or perform the actual work of installing, maintaining, servicing, and testing electric wires,

conduits, or appliances as previously described in this chapter, but entitles him or her to conduct

business as an electrical contractor.

     (b) Burner contractor’s license. A Certificate E shall be issued to any person, firm, or

corporation qualified under this chapter and engaged in, or about to engage in, the business of a

burner contractor as defined in § 5-6-1. The certificate shall specify the name of the person, firm,

or corporation applying for it and the name of the person who, in the case of a firm is one of its

members, and in the case of a corporation is one of its officers, passing the examination, by which

he or she or it is authorized to enter upon, or engage in, business as prescribed in the certificate.

The holding of a Certificate E does not entitle the holder individually to engage in or perform any

work on, or in connection with, electric wires, conduits, and appliances as previously described in

this chapter, but entitles the holder to contract to do that work, to the extent permitted in this chapter,

through the employment of burnerpersons holding a Certificate F. A burner contractor who is the

holder of a Certificate A is not required to obtain a Certificate E.

     (c) Fire alarm contractor’s license. A Certificate AF shall be issued to any person, firm, or

corporation qualified under this chapter and engaged in, or about to engage in, the business of a

fire alarm contractor as defined in § 5-6-1. The certificate shall specify the name of the person,

firm, or corporation applying for it and the person who, in the case of a firm is one of its members,

and in the case of a corporation is one of its officers, passing the examination by which he or she

or it is authorized to enter upon, or engage in, business as prescribed in the certificate. The holding

of a Certificate AF does not entitle the holder individually to engage in, or perform and work on,

or in connection with, electric wires, fire alarm wires, conduits, and appliances as previously

described in this chapter, but entitles the holder to contract to do that work to the extent permitted

in this chapter through the employment of fire alarm installers holding a Certificate BF. A

contractor who is the holder of a Certificate A is not required to obtain a Certificate BF.

     (d) Electrical sign contractor’s license. A Certificate SCF shall be issued to any person,

firm, or corporation qualified under this chapter and engaged in or about to engage in the business

of electrical sign installations, as defined in § 5-6-1.

     (e) Lightning-protection contractor. A Certificate LPC shall be issued to any person, firm,

or corporation qualified under this chapter and engaged in, or about to engage in, the business of

lightning-protection contractor as defined in § 5-6-1. The Certificate LPC shall specify the name

of the person, firm, or corporation applying for it and the person, who in the case of a firm, is one

of its members, and in the case of a corporation, is one of its officers, passing the examination by

which he or she or it is authorized to enter upon or engage in business as prescribed in the certificate.

The holding of a Certificate LPC does not entitle the holder individually to engage in, or perform

and work on, or in connection with, the installation of lightning-protection equipment as defined in

§ 5-6-1, unless that individual also holds a Certificate LPI, but entitles the holder to contract to do

that work to the extent permitted in this chapter through the employment of lightning-protection

installers holding a Certificate LPI.

     (f) Sign renovation electrical license. A certificate SRL shall be issued to any person, firm,

or corporation qualified under this chapter and engaged in, or about to engage in, the business of

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sign renovation or installation of signs when such renovation or installation requires the removal

or installation of no more than three (3) wires.

     (g) Renewable energy professional. A Certificate REP shall be issued to any person, firm,

or corporation, qualified under this chapter, engaged in or about to engage in the business of

installing eligible renewable energy technologies as defined in § 39-26-5. All renewable energy

electrical work, including installing, connecting, maintaining, servicing, and testing all electrical

wires, conduits, and apparatus; mounting the modules to the mounting racks; mounting the

inverters; and tying the inverters into the main electrical panels, shall be done by a licensed

electrician. Ancillary non-electrical, renewable energy work, such as advertising services;

distribution of materials to final location of installation including photovoltaic modules to the

mounting racks; and installing the ground and rooftop support brackets and ballast for rack systems,

may be done by any person, firm, or corporation holding a Certificate REP. The Certificate REP

shall specify the name of the person, firm, or corporation applying for it and the name of the person,

who in the case of a firm is one of its members, and in the case of a corporation, is one of its officers,

meeting the requisite education and experience as established in § 5-6-11, by which he or she or it

is authorized to enter upon, or engage in, business as prescribed in the certificate. The holding of a

Certificate REP entitles the holder to contract to do that work to the extent permitted in this chapter.

     The installation, mechanical fastening, and conjoining of listed solar sheathing systems

that are ten kilowatts (10 kw) or less on residential structures as defined by the Rhode Island one-

and two-family dwelling code may be performed by a registered contractor who or that has been

issued a renewable energy professional certificate (Certificate REP) as defined in § 5-6-11(e) and

above referenced. However, said residential solar sheathing system shall be connected to the

electrical system from the roof edge and energized by a Rhode Island licensed electrician working

in compliance with this chapter. Additionally, the residential solar sheathing systems noted must

be listed and labeled by UL or other recognized electrical device certification organization,

identified and acceptable by the authority having jurisdiction.

     5-6-11. Certificate/license of burnerperson, fire alarm installer, electrical sign

installer, lightning-protection installer, and renewable energy professional.

     (a) Burnerperson’s license. A Certificate F shall be granted to any person who has passed

an examination before the division of professional regulation. The certificate shall specify the name

of the person authorized to install, work on, and repair electric wiring and equipment located in or

on burners and other equipment serviced by burner contractors, to the extent only as is necessary

to install, service, maintain, and repair those burners and equipment. The license shall limit the

holder of a Certificate F to do work on electric wiring or equipment located on those burners and

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equipment and related components, but in no event to do any electrical work on oil burners burning

No. 3, 4, 5, or 6 fuel oil.

     (b) Fire alarm installer’s license. A Certificate BF shall be granted to any person who has

passed an examination before the division of professional regulation. The certificate shall specify

the name of the person authorized to work on, install, maintain, and test fire alarm systems.

     (c) Electrical sign installer’s license. A Certificate CF shall be granted to any person who

has passed an examination before the division of professional regulation. The certificate shall

specify the name of the person authorized to install, maintain, work on, and repair electrical signs.

     (d) Lightning-protection installer’s license. A Certificate LPI shall be granted to any person

who has passed an examination before the division of professional regulation. The certificate shall

specify the name of the person authorized to install, maintain, work on, and repair lightning-

protection systems as defined in § 5-6-1.

     (e) Renewable energy professional’s certificate. The Rhode Island department of labor and

training shall issue a certificate of competency in the design and installation of renewable energy

systems to any person, firm, or corporation who or that has:

     (1) Passed an examination on proficiency in solar technology, solar financing and tax

incentive programs; and has

     (2) Received received a certification from a nationally recognized, or equivalent, renewable

energy certification training program and has demonstrated proof of such certification to the Rhode

Island office of energy resources.

     5-6-16. License fees.

     (a) All licenses issued by the division of professional regulation for master electricians, all

limited-license electricians, and all journeyperson electricians born in odd years shall expire on the

birthday of the individual qualifying for the license in odd years and all licenses of master

electricians, all limited-license electricians, and all journeyperson electricians born in even years

shall expire on the birthday of the individual qualifying for the license in even years and all licenses

may be renewed on or before their expiration date upon payment of the appropriate, biennial

renewal fee.

     (b) A fee of two hundred forty dollars ($240) shall be paid by each applicant for an

electrical contractor’s license Class A; seventy-two dollars ($72.00) for a journeyperson

electrician’s license Class B; two hundred forty dollars ($240) for a limited-premises license Class

C; two hundred forty dollars ($240) for a burner contractor’s license Class E; seventy-two dollars

($72.00) for a burnerperson’s license Class F; two hundred forty dollars ($240) for a fire alarm

contractor’s license Class AF; seventy-two dollars ($72.00) for a fire alarm installer’s license Class

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BF; two hundred forty dollars ($240) for an electrical sign contractor’s license SCF; seventy-two

dollars ($72.00) for a sign installer’s license Class CF; and two hundred forty dollars ($240) for a

limited-maintenance license Class D.

     (c) A fee of two hundred forty dollars ($240) shall be paid by each applicant for a lightning-

protection contractor’s license Class LPC.

     (d) A fee of seventy-two dollars ($72.00) shall be paid by each applicant for a lightning-

protection installer’s license LPI.

     (e) A fee of seventy-two dollars ($72.00) shall be paid by each applicant for a sign

renovation electrical license.

     (f) A fee of seventy-two dollars ($72.00) shall be paid by each applicant for a renewable

energy professional's certificate.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC005345

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS -- ELECTRICIANS

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     This act would mandate a burnerperson professional to pass an examination on proficiency

in solar technology, solar financing and tax incentive programs upon a renewal of the professional's

certificate. Additionally, this act would establish a fee of seventy-two dollars ($72.00) for a

renewable energy professional's certificate.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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