S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2238
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 25, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. GUNTHER, STECK, McDONOUGH, J. M. GIGLIO -- read
   once and referred to the Committee on Economic Development
 
 AN ACT to amend the general business law, in  relation  to  establishing
   voluntary licensing of master electricians
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new article
 28-G to read as follows:
 
                               ARTICLE 28-G
                     LICENSING OF MASTER ELECTRICIANS
 
 SECTION 495. DEFINITIONS.
         496. LICENSE; MASTER ELECTRICIAN.
         497. BOARD OF EXAMINERS.
   § 495. DEFINITIONS. AS  USED  IN  THIS  ARTICLE,  UNLESS  THE  CONTEXT
 REQUIRES OTHERWISE:
   1. "BOARD" MEANS THE BOARD OF EXAMINERS FOR MASTER ELECTRICIANS ESTAB-
 LISHED BY SECTION FOUR HUNDRED NINETY-SEVEN OF THIS ARTICLE.
   2. "DEPARTMENT" MEANS THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
   3. "SECRETARY" MEANS THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
   §  496.  LICENSE; MASTER ELECTRICIAN. 1. ANY PERSON WHO IS AN ELECTRI-
 CIAN IN THIS STATE MAY APPLY TO THE SECRETARY FOR A LICENSE AS A  MASTER
 ELECTRICIAN.  SUCH  A  LICENSE  SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED FOR THE PURPOSE OF
 ENGAGING IN THE PROFESSION OF BEING A MASTER ELECTRICIAN. HOWEVER,  SUCH
 LICENSE  SHALL  BE INDICATIVE THAT THE HOLDER THEREOF HAS MET THE STAND-
 ARDS FOR TRAINING, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE NECESSARY  TO  BE  A  MASTER
 ELECTRICIAN,  AND  ALSO  AUTHORIZE  THE  HOLDER THEREOF TO ENGAGE IN THE
 PROFESSION OF BEING A MASTER ELECTRICIAN IN ANY OTHER STATE WHICH GRANTS
 RECIPROCITY TO ELECTRICIANS LICENSED PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE.  FURTHER-
 MORE, EVERY PERSON LICENSED PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE AUTHORIZED

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07056-01-3
              

 A. 2238                             2
 
 TO  PRACTICE AS A MASTER ELECTRICIAN THROUGHOUT THE STATE, NOTWITHSTAND-
 ING THE PROVISIONS OF THE GENERAL CITY LAW AND THE COUNTY LAW.
   2.  ANY  ELECTRICIAN  WISHING  TO BE LICENSED PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE
 SHALL:
   (A) SUBMIT AN APPLICATION THEREFOR TO THE SECRETARY IN SUCH  FORM  AND
 MANNER AS PRESCRIBED BY THE SECRETARY AND CONTAINING SUCH INFORMATION AS
 THE BOARD DETERMINES TO BE NECESSARY TO DETERMINE THE QUALIFICATIONS AND
 FITNESS FOR LICENSING OF THE APPLICANT;
   (B) SUBMIT THE APPLICATION FEE PRESCRIBED BY THE BOARD; AND
   (C) COMPLETE AN EXAMINATION ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD.
   3. EVERY PERSON WHO SUCCESSFULLY PASSES THE EXAMINATION ESTABLISHED BY
 THE  BOARD  AND  COMPLIES WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS
 SECTION SHALL BE LICENSED PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE.
   4. EVERY LICENSE ISSUED PURSUANT  TO  THIS  ARTICLE  SHALL  REMAIN  IN
 EFFECT  FOR A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS, AND MAY BE RENEWED FOR ADDITIONAL TWO
 YEAR PERIODS UPON SUBMISSION OF A RENEWAL APPLICATION AND  THE  APPLICA-
 TION FEE ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD.
   §  497.  BOARD  OF EXAMINERS. 1. THERE SHALL BE ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE
 DEPARTMENT A BOARD OF EXAMINERS  FOR  MASTER  ELECTRICIANS.  SUCH  BOARD
 SHALL  CONSIST OF THIRTEEN MEMBERS AS FOLLOWS:  THE SECRETARY, OR HIS OR
 HER DESIGNEE; FOUR MEMBERS  APPOINTED  BY  THE  GOVERNOR;  FOUR  MEMBERS
 APPOINTED  BY  THE  TEMPORARY  PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE; AND FOUR MEMBERS
 APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY. THE APPOINTED MEMBERS SHALL BE
 BROADLY REPRESENTATIVE OF PERSONS ENGAGED IN THE PROFESSION OF  BEING  A
 MASTER  ELECTRICIAN.  EACH  APPOINTED  MEMBER  OF  THE  BOARD  SHALL  BE
 APPOINTED FOR A TERM OF TWO YEARS. ANY MEMBER  MAY  BE  REAPPOINTED  FOR
 ADDITIONAL  TERMS.  THE STATE FIRE ADMINISTRATOR SHALL SERVE AS AN ADDI-
 TIONAL NON-VOTING MEMBER OF THE BOARD AND SHALL SERVE AS THE CHAIR.
   2. THE BOARD SHALL MEET NOT LESS THAN THREE TIMES A YEAR.
   3. THE BOARD SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS ESTABLISHING:
   (A) THE SCOPE OF THE PROFESSION OF BEING A MASTER ELECTRICIAN;
   (B) QUALIFICATIONS FOR BEING A LICENSED MASTER ELECTRICIAN;
   (C) AN EXAMINATION TO DETERMINE THE KNOWLEDGE OF PERSONS APPLYING  FOR
 A LICENSE PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE; AND
   (D) FEES FOR LICENSES AND RENEWALS THEREOF PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE.
   4.  THE SECRETARY SHALL DESIGNATE AN EMPLOYEE OF THE DEPARTMENT TO ACT
 AS SECRETARY TO THE BOARD, AND SHALL PROVIDE SUCH BOARD WITH SUCH STENO-
 GRAPHIC OR OTHER ASSISTANCE AS MAY BE NECESSARY.
   5. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD SHALL RECEIVE NO  COMPENSATION  BUT  SHALL  BE
 ENTITLED  TO  ACTUAL  AND  NECESSARY  TRAVELING AND OTHER EXPENSES WHILE
 ENGAGED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF SUCH  MEMBER'S  DUTIES  PURSUANT  TO  THIS
 ARTICLE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it  shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be  made  and
 completed on or before such date.