AB 190

Under current statutes, the Department of Safety and Professional Services

(DSPS) regulates various categories of electricians including master electricians,

journeyman electricians, and electrical apprentices. Current law also authorizes

DSPS to promulgate rules that recognize and regulate other types and subtypes of

electricians. Generally, a person may not install, repair, or maintain electrical wiring

unless the person is licensed as an electrician by DSPS or unless the person is

enrolled as a registered electrician by DSPS. A registered electrician must be

supervised by a licensed journeyman or master electrician. Current law also

requires all inspections of electrical wiring to be performed by inspectors who are

certified by DSPS.

This bill requires an applicant for renewal of any registration, license, or other

approval that authorizes a person to perform or inspect electrical work to meet

continuing education requirements that are prescribed by DSPS by rule. The bill

provides that a person who applies for renewal of a registration as an electrical

apprentice is not required to meet these continuing education requirements.

Current law also provides that certain experienced electricians are exempt

from the licensing and registration requirements imposed by DSPS. Under current

law, the exemption applies to a person who was born on or before January 1, 1956,

and who has at least 15 years of experience in installing, repairing, or maintaining

electrical wiring (experienced electrician). Current law requires DSPS to establish

criteria for issuing licenses to experienced electricians (exemption licenses).

This bill prospectively eliminates the licensing and registration exemptions for

experienced electricians but retains those exemptions for experienced electricians

who obtained an exemption license from DSPS before this bill's effective date. The

bill provides that an exemption license is generally valid for four years and is

renewable. The bill also requires electricians holding an exemption license to meet

continuing education requirements in order to renew that exemption license. The

bill further provides that DSPS must impose the same continuing education

requirements on experienced electricians that it imposes on master electricians.