Wisconsin Governor Signs Electrician Licensing Bill

[cduphily]

Found this on contractor talk:


A measure requiring electricians and electrical contractors to be licensed by the state was signed into law March 5, 2008, by Governor Jim Doyle.

The new safety regulation institutes a statewide licensing requirement for electricians and electrical contractors.

The new licensing law will be fully implemented in five years. The delay will give the Department of Commerce time to develop administrative rules and will provide opportunity for those electricians and electrical contractors who are not already licensed to take the steps necessary to become licensed.

Now named 2007 Wisconsin Act 63, the measure passed by the state senate and assembly requires that in order to be licensed as an electrician under the new law, a person must either complete an apprenticeship program or have a minimum amount of experience in installing, repairing, and maintaining electrical wiring, and pass an examination administered by the Department of Commerce. Thirty-four other states, including Minnesota and Michigan, currently have licensing requirements for electricians.

The measure also calls for the development of standards for the inspection of all electrical wiring, and requires that electrical inspectors be certified by the Department.

[Brian A. MacNeish]

Originally Posted by cduphily

Found this on contractor talk:


A measure requiring electricians and electrical contractors to be licensed by the state was signed into law March 5, 2008, by Governor Jim Doyle.



The new safety regulation institutes a statewide licensing requirement for electricians and electrical contractors.


The new licensing law will be fully implemented in five years. The delay will give the Department of Commerce time to develop administrative rules and will provide opportunity for those electricians and electrical contractors who are not already licensed to take the steps necessary to become licensed.


Now named 2007 Wisconsin Act 63, the measure passed by the state senate and assembly requires that in order to be licensed as an electrician under the new law, a person must either complete an apprenticeship program or have a minimum amount of experience in installing, repairing, and maintaining electrical wiring, and pass an examination administered by the Department of Commerce. Thirty-four other states, including Minnesota and Michigan, currently have licensing requirements for electricians.


The measure also calls for the development of standards for the inspection of all electrical wiring, and requires that electrical inspectors be certified by the Department.

What the hell is going on in some of these states? The 2 provinces I have lived in are not the most progressive or prosperous but at least they have required licensed electricians for at least the last 40+ or so years

[iniquette]

Originally Posted by Brian A. MacNeish

What the hell is going on in some of these states? The 2 provinces I have lived in are not the most progressive or prosperous but at least they have required licensed electricians for at least the last 40+ or so years

WWWWWWWWWWELLLLLLLLLLLL!!! LLLLLLLet mmmmmmmeeeee start here.....I guess were just a little on the slow side sometimes.

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by iniquette

WWWWWWWWWWELLLLLLLLLLLL!!! LLLLLLLet mmmmmmmeeeee start here.....I guess were just a little on the slow side sometimes.

Yeah government has the desire to regulate everyone.

All kidding aside, I don't see that the quality of electrical work in Wisconsin has suffered because of a lack of licensing. Any WI inspectors disagree?

[tdietrich1]

Hey I love it, everyone knows licensing work! That is why NYC with some of the strictest electrical codes (12# Cu on 15a crts) has been able to reduce electrical errors and subsequent fires to a level that we don't even notice they have a fire department.

To win your next bar bet, NYC does have a fire department, I think the name is something like FDNY?

So to you nay-sayers, licensing works!

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by tdietrich1

Hey I love it, everyone knows licensing work! That is why NYC with some of the strictest electrical codes (12# Cu on 15a crts) has been able to reduce electrical errors and subsequent fires to a level that we don't even notice they have a fire department.

To win your next bar bet, NYC does have a fire department, I think the name is something like FDNY?

So to you nay-sayers, licensing works!

Sorry, you don't need licensing to make the same thing happen.

The private insurance market will take care of it.

[tdietrich1]

Originally Posted by mlarson

The private insurance market will take care of it.

I inform my clients, one facet of 'qualified' is their work insured. So I tell them to get proof of insurance and call to see if it is active. The state typically will not go after 'unlicensed' people doing work, but if they provide 'fake' insurance paper, all heck breaks loose.

See the double standards? They want contractors to be licensed(government control), but will only act if the contractor violates insurance trust(private control) via consumer protection laws(civil laws).

I am a licensed electrician, and when I started doing work, I was told by the local electrical inspector, I would be out of business quick. Even under threats of jail time, and fines, people work without licenses since home owners will 'cover' for unlicensed contractors to save a buck. Work on educating consumers, in high school, not further regulations.

oh, can you tell where my ideology lines up with?

tom

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by tdietrich1

oh, can you tell where my ideology lines up with?

tom

Yep, I missed the sarcasm in your earlier post. Need more coffee

[tdietrich1]

Originally Posted by mlarson

Yep, I missed the sarcasm in your earlier post. Need more coffee

Possibilities:

Anarchist? I said I complied with the laws and became licensed....so?
Communist/Socialist? I spoke against 'government' providing solutions?

I guess I'm somewhere in between.

If licenses are so important, why does the government save money by using unlicensed doctors in the military? Remember, you are only required to carry malpractice insurance as a requirement for medical licensing.

imho,

tom

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by tdietrich1

I guess I'm somewhere in between.

This is an interesting test to determine where you are in the political landscape.
It takes about 10 minutes and you have to read to the bottom of the last page to find out where you are.

political compass

[tdietrich1]

Done real fast. An I pro or con licensing? I was in an area with no real example leaders. An example that people of my type don't get elected?

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by tdietrich1

Done real fast. An I pro or con licensing? I was in an area with no real example leaders. An example that people of my type don't get elected?

I don't know. Why don't you tell us?

Herer's mine. Just a bit "North" of you

[iniquette]

Originally Posted by mlarson

Yeah government has the desire to regulate everyone.

All kidding aside, I don't see that the quality of electrical work in Wisconsin has suffered because of a lack of licensing. Any WI inspectors disagree?

I would say most of the electrical issues I see were done by DIY homeowners and not some guy doing elctrical work just for fun. Most of the time when I find an electrical problem, I'll ask the owner who did the work. Most of the time they will tell you they did it themselves. Just my thought on the subject. I'm not saying there are not unqualified people doing electrical work. Just most of the problems I find were done by homeowner, not unqualified electrical contractor.

[Michael Larson]

Originally Posted by iniquette

Just most of the problems I find were done by homeowner, not unqualified electrical contractor.

That's been my experience as well.

[tdietrich1]

Originally Posted by mlarson

Just a bit "North" of you

Yankee!