An Act To Clarify the Exemption of Lineworkers from Maine Electrician Licensing Laws
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0915
Committee: Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: FITTS, McKANE
Amends: 32 MRSA §1102, 32 MRSA §1102-B

Legislative Document 
No. 915 
H.P. 675 
House of Representatives, March 8, 2011 
An Act To Clarify the Exemption of Lineworkers from Maine 
Electrician Licensing Laws 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reference to the Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development 
suggested and ordered printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative FITTS of Pittsfield. 
Cosponsored by Representative: McKANE of Newcastle. 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, in the fall of 2010, the Electricians' Examining Board issued a preliminary 
determination that would require licensure under the laws governing electrician licensing 
for lineworkers employed by electricity generators and contractors performing line work 
on behalf of public utilities and electricity generators; and 
Whereas, electrician licensing is intended to cover indoor electrical work governed 
by the National Electrical Code, whereas outdoor and related line work performed by 
public utilities, electricity generators and their contractors is governed by the National 
Electrical Safety Code and is unrelated to electrician licensing; and 
Whereas, the actions of the Electricians' Examining Board to require electrician 
licensure of lineworkers would substantially interfere with the ability of public utilities, 
electricity generators and their contractors to safely and cost-effectively install electric 
lines subject to the National Electrical Safety Code, including lines for large transmission 
and distribution projects currently under construction in this State; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  32 MRSA §1102, sub-§1-A, as amended by PL 1999, c. 657, §13, is 
repealed and the following enacted in its place: 
1-A.  Public utility.  An entity subject to the jurisdiction of the Public Utilities 
Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or the Federal Communications 
Commission, including all employees of such an entity, but only to the extent the entity 
or its employees are making electrical installations in furtherance of providing its 
authorized service or activities incidental to that authorized service.  This exception does 
not apply to: 
A.  Installations, other than installation of a meter, inside a customer's building; 
B.  Installations of mobile home service equipment; and 
C.  Installations at any business office of a utility corporation that is not physically 
located adjacent to the utility's generation or transmission and distribution plant; 
Sec. 2.  32 MRSA §1102, sub-§1-B is enacted to read: 
1-B.  Generator.  An entity, including all employees of such an entity, that 
constructs, owns or operates an electricity generation facility, including all ancillary 
facilities, equipment and generator leads, but only to the extent the entity or its employees 
are making electrical installations in furtherance of or incidental to the generation of 
electricity at a facility that is connected to the utility transmission grid by a transmission 
line that has a capacity rating of 34.5 kilovolts or greater.  This exception does not apply 
to installations at any business office of a generator that is not physically located adjacent 
to the generator's electricity generation facility; 
Sec. 3.  32 MRSA §1102, sub-§1-C is enacted to read: 
1-C.  Contractor.  An entity, including all employees of such an entity, to the extent 
the entity has contracted with a public utility or generator, as described in this section, to 
perform services for the public utility or generator, but only to the extent the public utility 
or generator would be exempt from this chapter if it were performing the services directly 
through its employees; or 
Sec. 4.  32 MRSA §1102, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1999, c. 386, Pt. F, §2, is 
repealed. 
Sec. 5.  32 MRSA §1102-B, sub-§5, ¶B, as enacted by PL 1981, c. 432, §2, is 
amended to read: 
B.  The electrical work and equipment employed in connection with the construction, 
installation, operation, repair or maintenance of any utility by a public utility 
corporation, or by a contractor working on behalf of a public utility as set forth in 
section 1102, subsection 1-C, in rendering its authorized service or in any way 
incidental thereto; 
Sec. 6.  32 MRSA §1102-B, sub-§5, ¶B-1 is enacted to read: 
B-1.  The electrical work and equipment employed in connection with the 
construction, installation, operation, repair or maintenance of any generating  facility 
by a generator, or by a contractor working on behalf of a generator as set forth in 
section 1102, subsection 1-C, in rendering its authorized service or in any way 
incidental thereto; 
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This bill clarifies that lineworkers of public utilities and electric generators, including 
contractors working on their behalf, are exempt from the electrician licensing laws.