SF4488

Purpose

• To modify who can perform and supervise electrical work in Minnesota, clarify licensing categories, tighten supervision requirements for unlicensed workers, and establish ongoing education requirements for licensed technicians.

Main Provisions

• Journeyworker Electrician licensing and supervision (Section 1)

  • No one may perform or supervise electrical work unless they are licensed as a journeyworker electrician.
  • Supervision conditions:
  • The work is for a licensed contractor and the worker is an employee, partner, or officer of that contractor; or
  • The work is performed under the supervision of a master electrician who is employed by the worker’s employer, either directly or through joint employment, on employer-owned or -leased electrical facilities located on employer-operated property.
  • License qualifications:
  • Applicants for a Class A journeyworker electrician license must have at least four years of experience wiring, installing, and repairing electrical systems.
  • Up to one year of credit (for a two-year postsecondary electrical course approved by the commissioner) may be allowed.
  • Grandfathering for Class B licenses:
  • As of August 1, 1985, no new Class B journeyworker electrician licenses may be issued.
  • Those holding a Class B license as of that date may keep and renew it, with privileges limited to single-phase systems not over 200 amperes on farmsteads or small towns/dwellings in very small communities.

• Power Limited Technician licensing and supervision (Section 2)

  • No one may install, alter, repair, plan, lay out, or supervise electrical work for technology circuits or systems unless licensed as a power limited technician.
  • Supervision conditions:
  • Work must be for a licensed contractor and the worker must be an employee, partner, officer, or the licensed contractor themselves; or
  • The work must be performed under the direct supervision of a master electrician or power limited technician employed by the same employer.
  • License qualifications:
  • Either a graduate of a four-year electrical course from an accredited college/university, or at least 36 months of hands-on experience planning, laying out, supervising, installing, altering, and repairing power-limited systems.
  • Credit may be allowed for up to 12 months (2000 hours) of a two-year postsecondary electrical course or other approved training.
  • Continuing education:
  • Licensees must complete 16 hours of continuing education at each renewal cycle.

• Unlicensed Individuals (Section 3)

  • Definition and restrictions:
  • An unlicensed individual is someone not licensed to perform specific electrical work.
  • An unlicensed individual may not perform work that a licensed individual is authorized to perform unless registered with the department and supervised directly by a licensed individual.
  • The licensed and unlicensed workers must be employed by the same licensed electrical contractor.
  • Supervision and limits:
  • Licensed individuals must supervise unlicensed workers; unlicensed workers may not supervise others or assign work to unlicensed workers.
  • With the exception of technology circuits or systems work, licensed supervisors may supervise no more than two unlicensed individuals; for technology circuits or systems work, the limit is three unlicensed individuals.
  • Plan and layout restrictions:
  • No individual other than a master electrician or power limited technician may plan or lay out electrical wiring for light, heat, power, or similar purposes, except for circuits or systems exempted from licensing.
  • Records and compliance:
  • Contractors employing unlicensed workers must keep records showing compliance, and the department may review copies of these records.
  • Responsibility of licensed supervisors:
  • When supervising unlicensed workers, the licensed supervisor is responsible for ensuring all electrical work complies with the Minnesota Electrical Act and related rules.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• New or clarified licensing and supervision framework:
  • Adds/defines the capability to supervise only under specified licensing (journeyworker electrician or power limited technician) with explicit supervision chains (employer, master electrician, or power limited technician).
  • Tightens who may perform and supervise electrical work, moving toward stricter control of who can supervise and where work occurs.
• Elimination of new Class B licenses for journeyworker electricians:
  • No new Class B journeyworker electrician licenses issued after August 1, 1985; grandfathering for current holders only in limited contexts.
• New licensing tracks and education requirements:
  • Introduces two distinct licensed positions (journeyworker electrician and power limited technician) with distinct training/experience paths and continuing education mandates.
• Stronger controls on unlicensed labor:
  • Requires registration of unlicensed workers, imposes supervision limits, mandates recordkeeping by employers, and assigns clear accountability to licensed supervisors.
• Technology circuits/systems carve-out:
  • Establishes separate supervision limits and licensing requirements for “technology circuits or systems,” including allowances for higher supervision counts under that category.

Practical Implications

• For contractors and employers:
  • Increased need to verify licensing status of workers and ensure proper supervision by a licensed professional.
  • Administrative burden to register unlicensed workers, track supervision, and maintain compliance records.
• For workers:
  • New career tracks (journeyworker electrician and power limited technician) with formal licensing, experience requirements, and continuing education.
  • Potential limits on who can perform certain tasks without a license, especially for unlicensed workers.
• For public safety and compliance:
  • Greater professional oversight of electrical work and more formal training and ongoing education for licensed personnel.
  • Clear accountability for supervisors to ensure compliance with the Minnesota Electrical Act.

Examples of Key Concepts (from the bill text)

• Journeyworker electrician, Class A/B licenses, master electrician
• Power limited technician, technology circuits or systems
• Direct supervision, joint employment, licensed contractor
• Unlicensed individuals, registration, recordkeeping
• Continuing education (16 hours), four-year electrical course, 36 months experience, 2000 hours credit
• Scope limits (single-phase systems under 200 amperes on small locales), technology circuit exemptions

Relevant Terms - journeyworker electrician - Class A journeyworker electrician license - Class B journeyworker electrician license - master electrician - power limited technician - technology circuits or systems - unlicensed individuals - direct supervision - licensed contractor - joint employment - four-year electrical course - 36 months experience - two-year post-high school electrical course - 12 months / 2000 hours credit - continuing education 16 hours - Minnesota Electrical Act - department - records - single-phase systems - farmsteads - municipalities - accredited college or university