SB 698

This bill makes numerous changes to the laws governing professional

regulation and buildings and safety in this state.

Uniform Professional Credentialing and Occupational Licensing

Procedures

The bill makes uniform many of the standards and procedures that apply to the

following approvals that are under the authority of the Department of Safety and

Professional Services:

1. Licenses, permits, and certificates of certification or registration issued by

DSPS, an examining board, or an affiliated credentialing board with respect to

various professions, including cosmetology, accounting, architecture, boxing, mixed

martial arts, and health professions (professional credentials).

2. Licenses, permits, certificates, registrations, or other approvals issued by

DSPS with respect to trades (occupational licenses).

Specifically, this bill requires that any rules promulgated by DSPS that define

uniform procedures for the following must conform with rules related to professional

credentials: receiving, filing, and investigating complaints against holders of

occupational licenses; commencing disciplinary proceedings against holders of

occupational licenses; and conducting hearings on matters relating to occupational

licenses.

This bill also provides that many laws that apply to professional credentials

also apply to occupational licenses, including laws that do all of the following:

1. Govern how and when an application for an initial professional credential

or a renewal is granted or denied.

2. Prescribe standards and procedures for how a person may file a complaint

against a professional credential holder.

3. Set forth standards and procedures for conducting investigations,

commencing disciplinary proceedings, holding hearings, and making findings

regarding violations of laws and rules governing professional credential holders.

4. Prescribe the process and procedure for issuing administrative warnings to

professional credential holders, reprimanding professional credential holders, and

denying, limiting, suspending, and revoking professional credentials.

5. Set forth certain rights and obligations of professional credential holders.

Multifamily Dwelling Code

The bill repeals the statutes, and the authority of DSPS to promulgate rules,

that establish standards for the construction of multifamily dwellings and their

components. Those statutes and rules are commonly known as the multifamily

dwelling code.

Under current law, a county, city, village, or town (municipality) is prohibited

from enforcing any ordinance that does not comply with the multifamily dwelling

code, except with respect to a preexisting stricter sprinkler ordinance that meets