[Title]

Committee: Military and Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security

Complete to 5-29-12

A REVISED SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILLS 5582-5583 & 5590 AS INTRODUCED 5-1-12

The bills would require the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to accept certain work experience an individual gained as a member of the Armed Forces as an alternative to current experience requirements when issuing three specified occupational licenses. A more detailed explanation follows.

House Bill 5582 would amend Electrical Administrative Act (MCL 338.883d) to apply to an electrical journeyman's license. The following would count as eligible experience: serving as an interior electrician, as a transmission and distribution specialist, or in an equivalent job classification for at least four years while on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces. To receive a license, the applicant must file a completed application form, pay an examination fee, pass an examination, and pay the license fee.

Currently, the act requires an applicant to have at least 8,000 hours of experience obtained over a period of at least four years related to electrical construction or maintenance of buildings or electrical wiring or equipment under the direct supervision of an individual licensed under the act. The bill would require either that experience or the four-year military experience. The individual must have been honorably discharged from military service within a one-year period preceding the date of applying for the license.

House Bill 5583 would amend the State Plumbing Act (MCL 338.3535) to apply to a journey plumber's license. The following would count as eligible experience: serving as a plumber for at least two years while on active duty as a member of the Armed Services. To receive a license, the applicant must file a completed application form, pay an examination fee, pass an examination, and pay the license fee.

Currently, the act requires an applicant to have at least 6,000 hours of experience gained over at least three years as an apprentice plumber in the practical installation of plumbing under the supervision of a master plumber. The bill would require either that experience or the four-year military experience. The individual must have been honorably discharged from military service within a one-year period preceding the date of applying for the license.

House Bill 5590 would amend the Private Security Business and Security Alarm Act (MCL 338.1056) to apply to a license to a private security guard or agency license. The following would count as eligible experience: serving as a military police officer, or in an equivalent law enforcement position, for at least two years while on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces.

This experience would serve as an alternative to any of the following: (1) having been engaged in the private security guard or agency business on his or her own account in another state for at least three years; (2) having been engaged in the private security guard or agency business for at least four years as an employee of a holder of a certificate of authority to conduct a security guard or agency business and has had experience reasonably equivalent to at least four years of full-time guard work in a supervisory capacity with rank above that of patrolman; (3) having been employed in law enforcement as a certified police officer for at least four years for a city, county, or state government, or for the U.S. government; or (4) having been engaged in the private security guard or agency business as an employee or on his or her own account or as a security administrator in private business for at least two years on a full-time basis, and is a graduate with a B.A. degree or its equivalent in the field of police administration or industrial security from an accredited college or university.

Licensees must be at least 25 years of age and have no felony convictions or convictions for other certain specified offenses.

FISCAL IMPACT:

HBs 5582 and 5583 would have an indeterminate, yet minor, fiscal impact on the Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC) within LARA. Since HBs 5582 and 5583 exempts qualified former armed service members from registering as electrical or plumbing apprentices, the BCC would not collect the annual fees associated with apprenticeship registration. However, to the extent that the exempting qualified former armed service members from apprenticeship requirements encourages additional qualified former armed service members to apply for and take examinations for electrical and plumbing journeyman licenses, the BCC would collected additional fees for the applications, examinations, and renewals of these licenses.

HB 5590 would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on the Bureau of Commercial Services (BSC) to the extent that adding military police experience as a qualifying criterion for a private security guard license would encourage qualified former armed service members to apply for licensure and pay the attendant fees to the BCS.

Legislative Analyst: E. Best

Fiscal Analyst: Paul Holland

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.