An Act To Amend the Boiler and Pressure Vessel Law (AFTER DEADLINE)
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1879
Committee: Business, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: MARTIN, SULLIV AN, BENNETT, BROMLEY, BRYANT, DAVIS, LAFOUNTAIN, SHOREY, DUPREY, SMITH
Amends: 32 MRSA §15109

Legislative Document 
No. 1879 
S.P.727 
In Senate, February 26,2004 
An Act To Amend the Boiler and Pressure Vessel Law 
(AFTER DEADLINE) 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
205. 
Reference to the Committee on Business, Research and Economic Development suggested 
and ordered printed. 
Presented by Senator MARTIN of Aroostook. 
Cosponsored by Representative SULLIV AN of Biddeford and 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Senators: BENNETT of Oxford, BROMLEY of Cumberland, BRYANT of Oxford, DAVIS of 
Piscataquis, LAFOUNTAIN of York, SHOREY of Washington, Representatives: DUPREY of 
Medway, SMITH of Monmouth. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 32 MRSA §15109, sub-§2. as amended by PL 1997, c. 691. 
§2 and affected by PL 1999, c. 127, Pt. D, §5, is repealed. 
Sec. 2. 32 MRSA §15109, sub-§2-A is enacted to read: 
2-A. 
Licenses. 
In order to safeguard life, health and 
property, the board shall provide for the mandatory licensing of 
stationary steam engineers and boiler operators. 
This subsection 
does not apply to: 
A. 
Persons operating boilers exempt under section 15102; 
B. 
Persons employed by companies under the jurisdiction of 
the Public Utilities Commission or the United States Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, or its successor; or 
C. 
Persons 
operating 
steam heating boilers, 
hot water 
heating boilers and hot water supply boilers located in 
schoolhouses or owned by municipalities. 
Sec. 3. 32 MRS A §15109, sub-§7, as amended by PL 2001, c. 323, 
§38, is further amended by repealing and replacing the first 
paragraph to read: 
7. 
Scope of licenses. 
The scope of a boiler operator's 
license and 4 classes of engineering licenses as set out in this 
subsection. 
Sec. 4. 32 MRSA §15109, sub-§7, ,A, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 
560, Pt. H, §14 and affected by §17, is repealed. 
Sec. 5. 32 MRS A §15109, sub-§7, ,B, as amended by PL 2001, c. 
323, §38, is further amended to read: 
B. 
The holder of a 
Ri~R-p£e66Q£e boiler operator's license 
may operate, supervise or have charge of a heating plant 
having a capacity of not more than 20,000 #/HR or operate or 
supervise a plant up to the capacity of the license of the 
engineer in charge of the plant in which the licensee is 
employed. 
The 
applicant 
for 
a 
Ri~a--p-Fe66Q£e 
boiler 
operator's license must have 6 months' operating experience 
prior to examination under 
a 
boiler operator's training 
permit. 
The board shall issue a permit for the purpose of 
gaining that experience upon receipt of an application fee 
and permit fee set by the director under subsection 9. 
Such 
permit must be limited to a specified plant and must be 
limited to one year. 
The board may extend the permit for a 
period not to exceed one year under unusual circumstances. 
Page l-LR2770(1) 
The board may allow the owner of a small plant to 
the 
ai~a--~FeSSQFe boiler 
operator's 
examination 
first obtaining a boiler operator's training permit. 
sit for 
without 
Sec. 6. 32 MRSA §15109, sub-§7, ~C, as amended by PL 1999, c. 
386, Pt. W, §18, is further amended to read: 
C. 
The holder of a 4th-class engineer's license may have 
charge of a plant of not more than 50,000 #/HR or operate or 
supervise a plant up to the capacity of the license of the 
engineer in charge of the plant in which the licensee is 
employed. 
An applicant for a 4th-class engineer's license 
must be a high school graduate or have equivalent education 
and at least one year of operating or supervising experience 
under a duly licensed engineer having charge of a plant. 
An 
applicant for a 4th-class engineer's license must have at 
least one year operating or supervising experience as a 
ai~a 
~FeSSQFe boiler operator. 
SUMMARY 
This bill eliminates the 
boilers not exceeding 15 psi 
boilers not exceeding 160 psi 
schools 
and 
municipalities 
operators. 
statutory requirement that steam 
or hot water and hot water supply 
or 250 degrees Fahrenheit owned by 
be 
operated 
by 
licensed 
boiler 
This bill also eliminates the distinction 
types of boiler operator's licenses, 
combining 
boiler operator's license. 
between the 
them into one