REGISTRATION OF BOILER OPERATORS H.B. 4216 (S-2): FLOOR ANALYSIS
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House Bill 4216 (Substitute S-2 as reported)
Sponsor: Representative Robert Jones
House Committee: Labor
Senate Committee: Economic Development and Regulatory Reform
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Boiler Act to provide for the registration of boiler operators and stationary engineers. The bill would do all of the following:
-- Allow a person to operate a boiler without obtaining a registration, but prescribe a misdemeanor penalty for a person who used various titles without being registered.
-- Allow a participant in an approved apprenticeship program, a qualified technical training program, or a qualified training program to use certain titles.
-- Establish criteria for classifications of boiler operators and stationary engineers.
-- Require the board of boiler rules to designate course content for qualified technical education programs.
-- Establish education and experience requirements for registration as a boiler operator or stationary engineer.
-- Allow an examination for boiler operators to be either written or oral, and require an examination for stationary engineers to be both written and oral.
-- Transfer certain rule-making authority from the board of boiler rules to the Department of Labor and Economic Growth (DLEG).
Under the Act, "boiler" means a closed vessel in which water is heated, steam is generated, and/or steam is superheated, under pressure or vacuum by the application of heat from combustible fuels, electricity, or nuclear energy.
Under the bill, "boiler operator" or "stationary engineer" would mean a person engaged in the operation of boilers and associated auxiliaries. "Associated auxiliaries" would mean equipment that is required in the operation of a boiler, including pumps, regulators, feedwater heaters, superheaters, desuperheaters, economizers, air preheaters, draft fans, combustion and pollution control equipment, and prime movers.
MCL 408.752 et al. Legislative Analyst: Patrick Affholter
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have a minimal impact on the Department of Labor and Economic Growth. The Department would incur some increased costs to promulgate the rules and administer the voluntary registration program required by the bill. These costs would be offset by the fees that would be paid by registrants and existing restricted fund resources.
Local governments would incur the costs of misdemeanor probation and incarceration in local facilities, which vary by county. The revenue from any penal fines imposed pursuant to the bill would go to public libraries.
Date Completed: 2-26-08 Fiscal Analyst: Lindsay Hollander
Elizabeth Pratt/Maria Tyszkiewicz
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. hb4216/0708