SB 116-FN – AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
03/07/13 0355s
2013 SESSION
10/09
SENATE BILL 116-FN
AN ACT relative to the licensure of liquefied propane installation and service technicians.
SPONSORS: Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Rep. C. McGuire, Merr 29
COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration
This bill requires the department of safety to combine the 2 specialty licenses for propane installation and propane servicing into one license.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
03/07/13 0355s
13-0886
10/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Thirteen
AN ACT relative to the licensure of liquefied propane installation and service technicians.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Department of Safety; Fuel Gas Fitters; Definitions. Amend RSA 153:27 to read as follows:
153:27 Definitions. In this subdivision:
I. “Commissioner” means the commissioner of the department of safety.
II. “Fuel gas fitter” means a hearth system installation and service technician, a liquefied propane installation and service technician, [a liquefied propane service technician,] a natural gas installation technician, a natural gas service technician, or a piping installer regulated by this subdivision.
III. “Fuel gas fitting” means the installation, repair, alteration, service, demolition or removal of pipes, fixtures, fittings, appliances, or apparatus necessary for supplying natural gas or propane for residential or non-residential use from the point of delivery and all gas piping before connection to the combustion zone and including the applicable venting of flue gases to the outside atmosphere and the provisions for air for combustion and ventilation.
IV. “Hearth system installation and service technician” means any person engaged in the installation, servicing, and repair of liquefied propane or natural gas hearth appliances and venting systems.
V. “Liquefied propane installation and service technician” means any person engaged in the installation, servicing, and repair of inside and outside piping from the outlet of the gas meter or second stage regulator or from the point of delivery to the appliance, or the installation of gas appliances, residential and non-residential heating equipment systems, or water heating systems using liquefied propane gas.
VI. [“Liquefied propane service technician” means any person engaged in the servicing and repair of inside and outside piping from the outlet of the gas meter or second stage regulator or residential and non- residential heating equipment systems or water heating systems using liquefied propane gas.
VII.] “License” means any license issued pursuant to this subdivision, including any specialty license.
[VIII.] VII. “Natural gas installation technician” means any person engaged in the installation of inside and outside piping from the outlet of the gas meter or second stage regulator or residential and non-residential heating equipment systems or water heating systems using natural gas.
[IX.] VIII. “Natural gas service technician” means any person engaged in the service and repair of inside and outside piping from the outlet of the gas meter or second stage regulator or residential and non-residential heating equipment systems or water heating systems using natural gas.
[X.] IX. “Person” means an individual, natural person.
[XI.] X. “Piping installer” means any person engaged in the installation of liquefied propane gas or natural gas piping or who is a New Hampshire licensed plumber, approved by the commissioner through affidavit, experience, education or training in the use of NFPA 54, national fuel gas code as adopted pursuant to RSA 153:5 in the state fire code.
[XII.] XI. “Trainee” means any person engaged in the process of meeting the licensing requirements of this subdivision, who shall work under the supervision of a licensed fuel gas fitter in the repair or installation of inside and outside piping from a gas meter or second stage regulator, and the repair or installation of residential and nonresidential heating equipment systems, hot water heating systems, or hearth equipment systems utilizing liquefied propane gas or natural gas.
2 Rulemaking; Specialty Licenses. Amend RSA 153:28, I(a) to read as follows:
(a) Standards regarding education or its equivalent, experience requirements, and testing requirements for applicants for initial licensure for the following specialty licenses:
(1) Hearth system installation and service technician.
(2) Liquefied propane installation and service technician. Provided that the standards adopted in rules shall not require more than 2,000 hours of field experience within a 60-month period relevant to the installation, servicing, and repair of liquefied propane gas appliances or equipment and that at least 750 hours of field experience can be met with relevant experience installing, servicing, or repairing heating oil fired appliances or equipment within the 60-month period.
(3) [Liquefied propane service technician.
(4)] Natural gas installation technician.
[(5)] (4) Natural gas service technician.
[(6)] (5) Piping installer.
[(7)] (6) Trainee.
3 Specialty Licenses. Amend RSA 153:29, II to read as follows:
II. Each license issued by the commissioner shall identify which of the following special licenses applies to the licensee:
(a) Hearth system installation and service technician.
(b) Liquefied propane installation and service technician.
(c) [Liquefied propane service technician.
(d)] Natural gas installation technician.
[(e)] (d) Natural gas service technician.
[(f)] (e) Piping installer.
[(g)] (f) Trainee.
4 Fuel Gas Fitter License; Business Entities. Amend RSA 153:29-a, I to read as follows:
I. The commissioner may issue a business entity a fuel gas fitter license without examination or continuing education requirements to corporations, partnerships, or limited liability companies engaged in fuel gas fitting, provided one or more officers of the corporation, or designee, or one or more members of the partnership, or designee, or one or more managing members of the limited liability company, or designee, hold an active and current license as a liquefied propane installation and service technician or natural gas service technician under this subdivision. Within 30 days after the death or withdrawal of the licensed person as a corporate officer, or designee, or member of the partnership, or designee, or one or more managing members of the limited liability company, or designee, the licensed person, corporation, partnership, or limited liability company shall give notice thereof to the commissioner and, if no other officer, partner, manager or designee, is licensed as a liquefied propane installation and service technician or natural gas service technician, the corporation, or partnership, or limited liability company shall not act as a fuel gas fitter until some other officer, member, or designee, has obtained a license as a liquefied propane installation and service technician or natural gas service technician. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the commissioner shall not require a fee for a corporation engaged in fuel gas fitting where a licensed liquefied propane installation and service technician or natural gas service technician is the sole shareholder of the corporation.
5 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
LBAO
13-0886
Revised 03/21/13
Amended 03/18/13
SB 116 FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT relative to the licensure of liquefied propane installation and service technicians.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Safety states this bill, as amended by the Senate (Amendment #2013-0355s), will decrease state revenues by an indeterminable amount in FY 2013 and each fiscal year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact on county and local revenues, or state, county, and local expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
The Department of Safety states this bill requires the Department to combine the two specialty licenses for propane installation and propane servicing into one license. The Department notes fees for the two specialty licenses are the same and exclusive and therefore the proposed legislation would have no fiscal impact on revenues related to original or renewal licenses. However, the Department also notes there is currently a $50 upgrade fee associated with the addition of a second specialty license to an already licensed individual. The Department states state revenue will be reduced to the extent the proposed legislation eliminates the need of a licensed individual to obtain a second license. The Department is unable to estimate the number of licensees who would be excluded from the $50 upgrade fee as a result of the proposed legislation.