SB224 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Donnie ChesteenSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

Electrical Contractors, Alabama Board of, board membership revised, board authorized to subpoena witnesses and investigate complaints, expiration of licenses, local business licenses texting deleted, Secs. 34-36-3, 34-36-4, 34-36-6, 34-36-7, 34-36-8, 34-36-9, 34-36-13, 34-36-16 am'd.

Summary

SB224 revamps Alabama's licensing and oversight of electrical work by redefining roles, adding a provisional license pathway, expanding board powers, and adjusting license renewal, restoration, and local licensing rules.

What This Bill Does

It creates new definitions for electrical work, including an 'electrical worker' and a 'provisional license,' and removes references to 'master electrician.' It expands the Alabama Board of Electrical Contractors' duties (subpoena power, investigations, and reciprocity with other states) and establishes a three-year window for provisional licensees to take the licensure exam with one-time exam-fee waiver. It shortens the time to restore an expired license from five years to two, broadens exemptions from board licensing, and bars counties/municipalities from requiring an extra local proficiency exam for local licenses. The act also sets continuing education requirements and outlines penalties for violations, while noting it is exempt from certain local-fund-expenditure rules due to specific exceptions.

Who It Affects

• Electrical licensees (contractors, journeyman electricians, and electrical workers) who would be governed by new definitions, provisional licensing, reciprocity, exam timelines, fee waivers, restoration windows, continuing education, and removal of references to 'master electrician.'
• Counties and municipalities that issue local electrical licenses, which would lose the authority to require an additional local proficiency exam and would interact with new exemptions and the state licensing framework.

Key Provisions

• Define 'ELECTRICAL WORKER' and 'PROVISIONAL LICENSE' and delete references to 'master electrician'.
• Board duties expanded to include subpoena power, complaint investigations, and reciprocity with other states; officers elected by the board.
• Provissional licensees get three years to pass the licensure examination; the board must waive the exam fee for one sitting.
• Expired electrical contractor licenses may be restored within two years (instead of five).
• Remove county/municipality authority to require an additional electrical contracting proficiency exam for local licenses.
• Board may recognize and reciprocate licenses from states with equal or higher standards; continuing education required (14 hours every two years).
• Penalties for license violations include suspension, revocation, or civil penalties up to $5,000; board can issue cease and desist orders and seek enforcement in circuit court.
• Exemptions from regulation and licensing clarified in 34-36-13; activities listed as exempt from board licensing.
• Effective date set for the act to become law on the first day of the third month after passage; the bill notes local-expenditure exemptions under Amendment 621 due to defined exceptions.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 23, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Electrical Contractors, Board of