STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1636

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.R. No. 24

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing, to which was referred S.R. No. 24 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING A TASK FORCE ON ENFORCEMENT OF THE ELECTRICIAN AND PLUMBER LICENSING LAWS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to convene a task force to review the enforcement of the electrician and plumber licensing laws.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 1186 testified in support of this measure. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) presented comments on the measure.

Your Committee finds that the timely and effective enforcement of the laws regulating the electrical and plumbing professions is necessary in order to protect the health, safety, and welfare of consumers and the public, and that this task is particularly critical in view of the increased construction activity in the State. Therefore, this measure requests DCCA to convene a task force comprised of inspection professionals outside of the Department to review DCCA's enforcement practices and to develop strategies to improve these practices.

Your Committee has amended this measure:

(1) By deleting statements relating to the ineffective enforcement of the licensing laws and the underutilization of moneys in the Compliance Resolution Fund;

(2) To state that the effective enforcement of the licensing laws promotes a healthy business climate for law-abiding electricians, plumbers, and electrical and plumbing contractors, and protects consumers and the public;

(3) By deleting language that requests DCCA's enforcement of the electrician and plumber licensing laws to focus on both contractors and mechanics/installers;

(4) To request that the task force be comprised of representatives from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1186, Plumbers-Fitters Local 675, Electrical Contractors Association of Hawaii, Plumbers and Mechanical Contractors Association of Hawaii, Board of Electricians and Plumbers, and Regulated Industries Complaints Office, rather than inspection professionals outside of DCCA; and

(5) By making technical amendments for the purposes of style and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 24, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 24, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing,

____________________________

RON MENOR, Chair