LRB-4121/1
MGG:eev:rs
2013 - 2014 LEGISLATURE
February 3, 2014 - Introduced by Senator Grothman, cosponsored by
Representative T. Larson. Referred to Committee on Judiciary and Labor.
SB545,2,2 1An Act to repeal 101.87 (5); to renumber and amend 101.88 (2); to amend
2101.82 (1m), 101.82 (1r), 101.82 (3r), 101.84 (3), 101.862 (title), 101.862 (2),
3101.862 (4) (b), 101.862 (4) (g), 101.87 (title), 101.87 (1) (intro.), 101.87 (1) (a)
4and 101.87 (1) (b); and to create 101.80 (1p), 101.82 (1g), 101.82 (1n), 101.84
5(5), 101.862 (4) (am), 101.862 (4) (n), 101.862 (5), 101.862 (6), 101.868, 101.87
6(2m) and (3m), 101.874, 101.875 (title) and 101.875 (2) of the statutes; relating
7to:
licensing structure for electricians and electrical apprentices; reciprocal
8agreements between this state and other states relating to the regulation of
9electricians, electrical contractors, electrical inspectors, and electrical
10apprentices; exemptions from licensing and supervisory requirements for

1electricians; inspections of electrical work within certain facilities; and
2granting rule-making authority.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Licensing structure
Under provisions that will become law on April 1, 2014, no person may work as
an electrician, and no person may engage in business as an electrical contractor,
unless the person is licensed by, or registered with, the Department of Safety and
Professional Services (DSPS).
Current statutory law classifies electricians as follows: beginning electricians,
journeyman electricians, and master electricians. The statutes require that
different licensing requirements be established by rule for residential journeyman
electricians. DSPS, by rule, has created the following additional types of electricians:
residential master electricians and industrial journeyman electricians. DSPS, by
rule, has also created "electrical apprentices" as an additional classification of
electrician. This classification includes residential and industrial electrical
apprentices. This bill incorporates these types of electricians into the current
statutory licensing structure.
Master electricians
Under current rules promulgated by DSPS, in order to be licensed as a master
electrician, a person must have at least 1,000 hours per year of experience in
installing electrical wiring for at least seven years and have passed an examination,
as required by DSPS. If the person will be licensed as a residential master
electrician, he or she only needs 1,000 hours per year for at least five years. Under
these rules, DSPS must accept completed semesters at an institution of higher
education in an electrical-related educational program as partial credit towards this
experience.
This bill establishes statutory requirements for being a master electrician,
other than a residential master electrician. Under the bill, a person is eligible to be
licensed as a master electrician if he or she has a bachelor's or master's degree in
electrical engineering, if he or she has 12 months of experience in installing,
repairing, or maintaining electrical work while being licensed as a journeyman
electrician, or if he or she has at least 10,000 hours of experience in a period of not
less than 60 months, and has passed the DSPS examination. These statutory
requirements established under the bill apply only to persons who apply for master
electrician licenses after the bill becomes law. The bill does not establish separate
statutory requirements for residential master electricians, but it requires DSPS to
have rules in effect that establish requirements for these electricians.
Journeyman electricians
Current statutory law requires DSPS to promulgate rules that require that, in
order to be licensed as a journeyman electrician, a person must have completed an
apprenticeship program of at least four years that is recognized by both the U.S.

Department of Labor (USDOL) and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce
Development (DWD), or must have had experience as an electrician for at least 60
months and have passed the DSPS examination. If the person will be licensed as a
residential journeyman electrician, the rules must provide that he or she needs to
have completed an apprenticeship program of at least three years or have a
minimum of 36 months of experience. The requirements for licensure as an
industrial journeyman electrician are promulgated as rules by the department.
This bill eliminates the provision that the requirements for journeyman
electricians, other than residential journeyman electricians, must be established by
rule and incorporates the requirements for these journeyman electricians into the
statutes. The bill also makes changes to these requirements. Under the bill, the
minimum term for the apprenticeship program remains at four years, but a person
completing the apprenticeship program must also pass the DSPS examination.
Under the bill, the apprenticeship program need only be recognized by either
USDOL or DWD. Also, under the bill, the number of months of experience is reduced
to not less than 48 months of experience. During those 48 months, the person must
have 8,000 hours of experience. Under the bill, DSPS must accept a degree from a
two-year program in electrical engineering or a related program as partial credit
toward this experience. The statutory requirements established under the bill apply
only to persons who apply for journeyman electrician licenses after the bill becomes
law.
The bill repeals the provision specifying the requirements that must be
contained in the rules for residential journeyman electricians. Instead, the bill
requires that DSPS have rules in effect that establish requirements for residential
and industrial journeyman electricians.
Other electricians
This bill requires that DSPS have in place rules for the registration of electrical
apprentices, and the bill specifically authorizes DSPS to promulgate rules that
establish additional types and subtypes of electricians. Finally, the bill changes the
term "beginning electrician" to "registered electrician," and requires registered
electricians to be supervised by licensed journeyman or master electricians.
Exemptions
Under current law, various types of electrical work need not be performed by
licensed electricians. This bill makes the following changes in relation to these
exemptions:
1. Current law exempts from this licensing requirement a person who repairs
or maintains electrical wiring within a facility or on premises that are owned or
leased by that person or that are owned or leased by an entity for which that person
is an agent. The bill adds language to this provision so as to specifically include an
employee of the entity under this exemption. The bill also creates a provision that
broadens this exemption to cover installation of electrical wiring in facilities that are
existing industrial or manufacturing facilities.
2. The bill makes changes to an exemption that covers the installation, repair,
and maintenance of equipment that provides a function that is not primarily
electrical in nature.

3. The bill creates a new exemption for the replacement of certain existing
switches or outlets.
4. This bill exempts from the licensing requirements electricians who were
born before January 1, 1955, and who have at least 15 years of experience in
performing electrical work. This bill also exempts a person from these licensing
requirements if the person is performing electrical work for a qualified nonprofit
corporation that consists of installing electrical wiring in a new one-family dwelling
and if the person is not being paid or is not receiving another type of compensation
for the work. Under the bill, a qualified nonprofit corporation is one that has as its
purpose the construction and rehabilitation of residential dwellings in a specific
community or area and has completed the construction of at least five new
one-family dwellings within the last 12 months.
Inspections
Under current law, DSPS must promulgate rules to establish standards and a
process for the inspection of electrical wiring. This bill prohibits DSPS from
promulgating a rule requiring inspections of electrical wiring that is installed,
maintained, or repaired as part of a project in an existing industrial facility or
existing manufacturing facility unless the project is required to be reviewed by DSPS
or by a municipality before the project is started.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB545,1 1Section 1. 101.80 (1p) of the statutes is created to read:
SB545,4,32 101.80 (1p) "Manufacturing facility" means a facility assessed as
3manufacturing property under s. 70.995.
SB545,2 4Section 2. 101.82 (1g) of the statutes is created to read:
SB545,4,55 101.82 (1g) Regulate all of the following types of electricians:
SB545,4,66 (a) Master electricians, including residential master electricians.
SB545,4,87 (b) Journeyman electricians, including residential journeyman electricians
8and industrial journeyman electricians.
SB545,4,109 (c) Electrical apprentices, including residential electrical apprentices and
10industrial electrical apprentices.
SB545,5,1
1(d) Registered electricians.
SB545,3 2Section 3. 101.82 (1m) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB545,5,63 101.82 (1m) Promulgate rules that establish criteria and procedures for the
4registration enrollment of beginning registered electricians and for the examination
5and licensing of different types of electricians, including journeymen electricians and
6master electricians
registration of electrical apprentices.
SB545,4 7Section 4. 101.82 (1n) of the statutes is created to read:
SB545,5,108 101.82 (1n) Promulgate rules that establish procedures for the enrollment of
9registered electricians, the registration of electrical apprentices, and the licensing
10of journeyman electricians and master electricians.
SB545,5 11Section 5. 101.82 (1r) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB545,5,1412 101.82 (1r) Promulgate rules that establish requirements for the supervision
13of beginning registered electricians. Registered electricians must be supervised by
14licensed journeyman or master electricians.
SB545,6 15Section 6. 101.82 (3r) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB545,5,1916 101.82 (3r) Promulgate rules that establish criteria and a process for the
17suspension or revocation of registrations issued to beginning registered electricians,
18licenses issued to electricians and electrical contractors, and certifications issued to
19electrical inspectors.
SB545,7 20Section 7. 101.84 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB545,5,2521 101.84 (3) Promulgate rules to differentiate the scope of installation, repair, or
22maintenance of electrical wiring that may be performed by electrical contractors and
23by different types of electricians, including beginning
, registered electricians,
24journeymen journeyman electricians, and master electricians, and any additional
25types of electricians recognized under sub. (5)
.
SB545,8
1Section 8. 101.84 (5) of the statutes is created to read:
SB545,6,52 101.84 (5) The department may promulgate rules that recognize and regulate
3different types and subtypes of electricians that are in addition to those specified in
4s. 101.82 (1g) and that establish criteria and procedures for enrolling, registering, or
5licensing these electricians.
SB545,9 6Section 9. 101.862 (title) of the statutes, as affected by 2007 Wisconsin Act 63
7and 2013 Wisconsin Act 4, is amended to read:
SB545,6,8 8101.862 (title) License, or registration, or certification required.
SB545,10 9Section 10. 101.862 (2) of the statutes, as affected by 2007 Wisconsin Act 63
10and 2013 Wisconsin Act 4, is amended to read:
SB545,6,1311 101.862 (2) No person may install, repair, or maintain electrical wiring unless
12the person is licensed as an electrician by the department or unless the person is
13registered enrolled as a beginning registered electrician by the department.
SB545,11 14Section 11. 101.862 (4) (am) of the statutes is created to read:
SB545,6,1715 101.862 (4) (am) A person engaged in installing electrical wiring within an
16existing industrial facility or existing manufacturing facility owned or leased by the
17person or by an entity for which the person is an agent or employee.
SB545,12 18Section 12. 101.862 (4) (b) of the statutes, as affected by 2007 Wisconsin Act
1963
and 2013 Wisconsin Act 4, is amended to read:
SB545,6,2220 101.862 (4) (b) A person engaged in maintaining or repairing electrical wiring
21within a an existing facility or on premises owned or leased by the person or by an
22entity for which the person is an agent or employee.
SB545,13 23Section 13. 101.862 (4) (g) of the statutes, as affected by 2007 Wisconsin Act
2463
and 2013 Wisconsin Act 4, is amended to read:
SB545,7,9
1101.862 (4) (g) A person engaged in installing, repairing, or maintaining
2manufactured equipment or utilization equipment, including ballasts, electric signs,
3and luminaires,
or a any other manufactured system that is designed to provide a
4function that is not primarily electrical in nature if the installation, repair, or
5maintenance does not involve the modification or installation of branch circuit
6conductors beyond the disconnecting point or beyond the last junction, pull, or device
7box, whichever is nearer to the point where the person is performing the installation,
8repair, or maintenance
that are external to the manufactured or utilization
9equipment or other manufactured system
.
SB545,14 10Section 14. 101.862 (4) (n) of the statutes is created to read:
SB545,7,1311 101.862 (4) (n) A person who installs a replacement for an existing switch or
12outlet located in a dwelling unit, as defined in s. 101.61 (1), if the replacement switch
13or outlet has a rating of not more than 20 amperes.
SB545,15 14Section 15. 101.862 (5) of the statutes is created to read:
SB545,7,1715 101.862 (5) Subsections (2) and (3) do not apply to a person who was born on
16or before January 1, 1955, and who has at least 15 years of experience in installing,
17repairing, or maintaining electrical wiring.
SB545,16 18Section 16. 101.862 (6) of the statutes is created to read:
SB545,7,2119 101.862 (6) (a) Subsections (2) and (3) do not apply to a person who installs
20electrical wiring, without receiving payment or other consideration, in a new
21one-family dwelling that is being constructed by a qualified nonprofit corporation.
SB545,7,2322 (b) For purposes of par. (a), a qualified nonprofit corporation is one that meets
23all of the following conditions:
SB545,8,3
11. The corporation is described in section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue
2Code and is exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (a) of the Internal
3Revenue Code.
SB545,8,54 2. The corporation has as its purpose the construction and rehabilitation of
5residential dwellings in a specific community or area.
SB545,8,76 3. The corporation has completed the construction of at least 5 new one-family
7dwellings within the specific community or area within the last 12 months.
SB545,17 8Section 17. 101.868 of the statutes is created to read:
SB545,8,11 9101.868 Requirements for master electricians. (1) An applicant for
10licensure as a master electrician shall have at least one of the following
11qualifications:
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