An Act To Encourage Enrollment in High School Electrical Education Programs
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1833
Committee Amendment CA_B_H837 (House)
Amends: 32 MRSA §1101

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "B" to H.P. 1353, L.D. 1833, Bill, "An Act To 
Encourage Enrollment in High School Electrical Education Programs" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Facilitate Electrician Apprenticeship and Encourage Enrollment in High 
School Electrical Education Programs' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 1 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 32 MRSA §1101, sub-§4-A, as amended by PL 2011, c. 286, Pt. F, §4, is 
further amended to read: 
4-A. 
Supervision. 
GBe Two apprentice electrician or electricians, one helper 
electrician or 2 helper electricians who are both currently enrolled in, or have completed, 
a program of study consisting of 576 hours of education as approved by the Electricians' 
Examining Board or from an accredited institution may work with and under the direct 
supervision of eaeh ~ master electrician, limited electrician or journeyman electrician. A 
master electrician who teaches an electrical course at a Maine career and technical 
education center, a Maine career and technical education region, a Maine community 
college or an apprenticeship program registered by the Department of Labor may have a 
maximum of 12 helper or apprentice electricians under direct supervision while making 
electrical installations that are a part of the instructional program of the school or 
apprenticeship program, as long as the total value of each installation does not exceed 
$5,000. An electrical installation may not be commenced pursuant to this subsection 
without the prior approval of the director or president of the school or apprenticeship 
program at which the master electrician is an instructor. These installations are limited to 
those done in buildings or facilities owned or controlled by: 
A. School administrative units; and 
B. Nonprofit organizations. 
The Electricians' Examining Board and the municipal electrical inspector of the 
municipality in which the installation is to be made, if the municipality has an inspector, 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
,~, .~ 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ''b'' to H.P. \353, L.D, 1833 
must be notified of all installation projects entered into pursuant to this subsection prior to 
the commencement of the project. There must be an inspection by a state electrical 
inspector or by the municipal electrical inspector of the municipality in which the 
installation has been made, if the municipality has an inspector, before any wiring on the 
project is concealed: 
Amend the bill by adding after section 2 the following: 
'Sec. 3. Report on the increase in the ratio of helper and apprentice 
electricians working under a master electrician, limited electrician or 
journeyman electrician. The Director of the Office of Professional and Occupational 
Regulation within the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation shall provide 
a report by February 1, 2014 to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over labor, commerce, research and economic development matters on the 
impact of the increase in the ratio of helper and apprentice electricians working under a 
master electrician, limited electrician or journeyman electrician and identifY any safety 
issues or licensing concerns that may have arisen as a result of the increase in the ratio. 
The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor, 
commerce, research and economic development matters is authorized to report out a bill 
on the issues raised by the increase in the ratio of helper and apprentice electricians to the 
SUMMARY 
This amendment is the minority report of the committee. It replaces section 1 of the 
bill and amends the electrician licensing laws by changing the number of helper and 
apprentice electricians that may work with and be supervised by a master electrician, 
limited electrician or journeyman electrician from one to 2, as long as the 2 helper 
electricians are both currently enrolled in, or have completed, a program of study 
consisting of 576 hours of education as approved by the Electricians' Examining Board or 
from an accredited institution. It also requires the Director of the Office of Professional 
and Occupational Regulation within the Department of Professional and Financial 
Regulation to provide a report by February 1, 2014 to the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over labor, commerce, research and economic 
development matters on the impact of the increase in the ratio of helper and apprentice 
electricians working under a master electrician, limited electrician or journeyman 
electrician and identifY any safety issues or licensing concerns that may have arisen as a 
result of the increase in the ratio. It authorizes the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over labor, commerce, research and economic 
development matters to submit a bill on the issues raised by the increase in the ratio of 
helper and apprentice electricians to the Second Regular Session of the 126th Legislature. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 03/21/12 ;t;yac:.. 
LD 1833 
LR 2735(03) 
An Act To Encourage Enrollment in High School Electrical Education Programs 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment :.B" (j-/-937) 
Committee: Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Minor revenue decrease - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Additional costs to the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation within the Department of Professional and 
Financial Regulation associated with rulemaking and with submitting the required report can be abs?rbed within 
existing budgeted resources. Exempting a high school student from paying the fee to obtain a helper electrician 
license will result in a minor loss of dedicated revenue to the Electricians' Examining Board. 
LR2735(03) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1