SB150 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Gerald H. AllenSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Plumbers and Gas Fitters, definitions, examining board, disbursement of funds, certification, renewals, fees, disciplinary actions, Secs. 34-37-1, 34-37-2, 34-37-5, 34-37-6, 34-37-8, 34-37-9, 34-37-12, 34-37-13, 34-37-14, 34-37-15, 34-37-17 am'd.

Summary

SB150 overhauls Alabama's plumbers and gas fitters licensing, expands the regulating board's powers, and adds funding, certification, and disciplinary changes.

What This Bill Does

The bill renames the regulating board to the State of Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board and broadens its statewide authority. It creates a dedicated fund for the board and requires unspent funds to be transferred to the Alabama Home Builders Foundation for classroom training; it also notes the bill is treated as exempt from local-funds rules under Amendment 621 due to defining a new crime or amending an existing crime. It tightens certification rules for backflow prevention devices and medical gas piping endorsements, updates renewal and reissuance fees, and strengthens disciplinary actions, including bonding requirements for principals and penalties for violations. It also requires the display of business names on company vehicles and allows for inactive certifications and various exemptions.

Who It Affects

• Licensed plumbers, gas fitters, and medical gas piping fitters (including apprentices, journeymen, masters, and principals) and their employers, who face new definitions, certification requirements, renewal/reissuance fees, bonding, backflow/medical gas piping rules, and potential discipline.
• Educational and training providers and organizations such as the Alabama Home Builders Foundation, which would receive surplus funds from the board's fund to support classroom training tools and programs.

Key Provisions

• Rename and expand the board's authority to examine, certify, and regulate plumbers, gas fitters, and medical gas piping fitters statewide.
• Create a separate State Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board Fund; require unspent funds above 25% of the prior year's budget to be transferred to the Alabama Home Builders Foundation for classroom training tools.
• Require display of the registered business name on two sides of service/construction vehicles and set certification requirements for apprentice, journeyman, master levels, including medical gas piping endorsements.
• Establish and modify fees for certifications, renewals, and replacements (including lost certificates) and require renewal within specified timeframes with penalties for late renewal.
• Enhance disciplinary actions, including fines up to $2,000, and allow cease-and-desist orders; require bonds for principal master plumbers and master gas fitters; set conditions for suspension/revocation of certificates.
• Create inactive-status provisions, exemptions for certain activities, and broadened duties for the board related to administration, training, and enforcement.
• Effective date set as the first day of the third month after passage; note clarifications on local-fund expenditure requirements under Amendment 621.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Boards and Commissions