Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2007_SESSIONS/RS/BILLS/hb2747%20Enr.htm
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 05:11:01+00:00

Document:
AN ACT to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated §21-14-1, §21-14-2, §21-14-3, §21-14-4, §21-14-5, §21-14-6, §21-14-7, §21-14-8 and §21-14-9; and to amend said code by adding thereto a new article, designated §29-3D-1, §29-3D-2, §29-3D-3, §29-3D-4, §29-3D-5, §29-3D-6, §29-3D-7, §29-3D-8 and §29-3D-9, all relating to regulating plumbers and fire protection workers; definitions; requiring plumbers to be licensed by the Commissioner of Labor; requiring fire protection workers to be licensed by the State Fire Marshal; exemptions from licensure; rulemaking authority for the Commissioner of Labor and the State Fire Marshal ; providing enforcement procedures; criminal penalties; and providing that no political subdivision of the state may mandate additional licensing requirements.
The provisions of this article are intended to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public as well as public and private property by assuring the competence of those who perform plumbing through licensure by the Commissioner of Labor.
(a) "License" means a valid and current license issued by the Commissioner of Labor in accordance with the provisions of this article.
(b) "Journeyman plumber" means a person qualified by at least eight thousand hours of plumbing or related experience and who is competent to instruct and supervise the work of a plumber in training.
(c) "Master plumber" means a person with at least twelve thousand hours of plumbing work experience and who is competent to design plumbing systems, and to instruct and supervise the plumbing work of journeyman plumbers, and plumbers in training.
(d) "Plumber in training" means a person with interest in and an aptitude for performing plumbing work but who alone is not capable of performing plumbing work, and who has fewer than eight thousand hours of plumbing experience.
(e) "Plumbing" means the practice, materials and fixtures utilized within a building in the installation, extension and alteration of all piping, fixtures, water treatment devices, plumbing appliances and appurtenances, in connection with sanitary drainage or storm drainage facilities; the plumbing venting systems; medical gas systems; fuel oil and gas piping for residential, commercial and institutional facilities; backflow preventers; and public or private water supply systems, as defined by the state building code.
(f) "Single family dwelling" means a building which is occupied as, or designed or intended for occupancy as, a single residence for one or more persons.
(a) On and after the first day of January, two thousand nine, a person performing or offering to perform plumbing work in this state shall have a license issued by the Commissioner of Labor, in accordance with the provisions of this article.
(b) A person licensed under this article must carry a copy of the license on any job in which plumbing work is being performed.
(8) A person who performs plumbing work at manufacturing, industrial and natural gas facilities.
(7) Any other rules necessary to effectuate the purposes of this article.
The Commissioner of Labor and his or her Deputy Commissioner or any compliance officer of the Division of Labor as authorized by the Commissioner of Labor is authorized to enforce the provisions of this article, and may, at reasonable hours, enter any building or premises where plumbing work is performed and issue cease and desist orders for noncompliance.
§21-14-6. Denial, suspension and revocation of license.
(a) The Commissioner of Labor may deny a license to any applicant who fails to comply with the rules established by the Commissioner of Labor, or who lacks the necessary qualifications.
(a) On and after the first day of January, two thousand nine, a person performing or offering to perform plumbing work without a license issued by the Commissioner of Labor, is subject to a cease and desist order.
(3) For the third and subsequent offenses, a fine of not less than one thousand dollars nor more than five thousand dollars, and confinement in jail for not less than thirty days nor more than one year.
(c) A separate offense means each day, after official notice is given, that a person performs plumbing work that is unlawful or is not in compliance with the provisions of this article.
(d) The Commissioner of Labor may institute proceedings in the circuit court of the county where the alleged violation of the provisions of this article occurred or are occurring to enjoin any violation of any provision of this article. A circuit court by injunction may compel compliance with the provisions of this article, with the lawful orders of the Commissioner of Labor and with any final decision of the Commissioner of Labor. The Commissioner of Labor shall be represented in all such proceedings by the Attorney General or his or her assistants.
(e) Any person adversely affected by an action of the Commissioner of Labor may appeal the action pursuant to the provisions of chapter twenty-nine-a of this code.
§21-14-8. Inapplicability of local ordinances.
On and after the first day of January, two thousand nine, a political subdivision of this state may not require, as a condition precedent to the performance of plumbing work in the political subdivision, a person who holds a valid and current license issued under the provisions of this article, to have any other license or other evidence of competence as a plumber.
All fees paid pursuant to the provisions of this article, shall be paid to the Commissioner of Labor and deposited in a special revenue account with the State Treasurer for the use of the Commissioner of Labor to enforce the provisions of this article.
CHAPTER 29. MISCELLANEOUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
The provisions of this article are intended to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public as well as public and private property by assuring the competence of those who perform fire protection work through licensure by the State Fire Marshal.
(a) "Fire protection layout technician" is an individual who has achieved National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) Level III or higher certification, and who has the knowledge, experience and skills necessary to layout fire protection systems based on engineering design documents.
(b) "Fire protection system" means any fire protection suppression device or system designed, installed and maintained in accordance with the applicable National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes and standards, but does not include public or private mobile fire vehicles.
(c) "Fire protection work" means the installation, alteration, extension, maintenance, or testing of all piping, materials and equipment inside a building, including the use of shop drawings prepared by a fire protection layout technician, in connection with the discharge of water, other special fluids, chemicals or gases and backflow preventers for fire protection for the express purpose of extinguishing or controlling fire.
(d) "Journeyman sprinkler fitter" means a person qualified by at least ten thousand hours of work experience installing, adjusting, repairing and dismantling fire protection systems and who is competent to instruct and supervise the fire protection work of a sprinkler fitter in training.
(e) "License" means a valid and current license issued by the State Fire Marshal in accordance with the provisions of this article.
(f) "Sprinkler fitter in training" means a person with interest in and an aptitude for performing fire protection work but who alone is not capable of performing such work, and who has fewer than ten thousand hours of experience installing, adjusting, repairing and dismantling fire protection systems.
(a) On and after the first day of January, two thousand nine, a person performing or offering to perform fire protection work in this state shall have a license issued by the State Fire Marshal, in accordance with the provisions of this article.
(b) A person licensed under this article must carry a copy of the license on any job in which fire protection work is being performed.
(6) A person who performs fire protection work at a coal mine that is being actively mined or where coal is being processed .
The State Fire Marshal and his or her deputy fire marshal, assistant fire marshal or assistant fire marshal-in-training, is authorized to enforce the provisions of this article, and may, at reasonable hours, enter any building or premises where fire protection work is performed and issue citations for noncompliance.
(a) On and after the first day of January, two thousand nine, a person performing or offering to perform fire protection work without a license issued by the State Fire Marshal, is subject to a citation.
(c) A separate offense means each day, after official notice is given, that a person performs fire protection work that is unlawful or is not in compliance with the provisions of this article.
(d) The State Fire Marshal may institute proceedings in the circuit court of the county where the alleged violation of the provisions of this article occurred or are now occurring to enjoin any violation of any provision of this article. A circuit court by injunction may compel compliance with the provisions of this article, with the lawful orders of the State Fire Marshal and with any final decision of the State Fire Marshal. The State Fire Marshal shall be represented in all such proceedings by the Attorney General or his or her assistants.
(e) Any person adversely affected by an action of the State Fire Marshal may appeal the action pursuant to the provisions of chapter twenty-nine-a of this code.
On and after the first day of January, two thousand nine, a political subdivision of this state may not require, as a condition precedent to the performance of fire protection work in the political subdivision, a person who holds a valid and current license issued under the provisions of this article, to have any other license or other evidence of competence as a fire protection work er.

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