Sunset Plumbing Board

The act implements recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies (DORA) in its 2023 sunset review of the state plumbing board (board).

The act:

• Continues the board for 8 years to September 1, 2032;
• Authorizes the board to discipline plumbers who aid or abet a person in violating the plumbing practice act or other statutes that apply to plumbers;
• Removes the political affiliation requirement for the board, which requires that a major political party not have more than one member more than the other major political party;
• Clarifies that the licensed categories of plumbers, plumbing apprentices, and registered plumbing contractors can work on water conditioning systems without being required to register with the board as a water conditioning contractor, principal, or installer;
• Modernizes the term "journeyman" by changing it to "journeyworker" throughout the plumbing practice act, effective July 1, 2025;
• Modifies the license period for licenses issued or renewed on or after March 1, 2027, to be 3 years or as otherwise determined by the director of the division of professions and occupations in DORA (director);
• Modifies the grounds for discipline of a licensee regarding habitual or excessive use or abuse of controlled substances or alcohol and removes "substance use disorder" as a ground for discipline;
• Requires a plumbing contractor to display the plumbing contractor's and attached master plumber's registration information on the plumbing contractor's vehicle or in other locations and makes a plumbing contractor's failure to display the required information grounds for discipline;
• Repeals the requirement that the board send a letter of admonition by certified mail;
• Requires persons who are engaged in the business of installing, removing, inspecting, testing, and repairing backflow prevention devices to be licensed, except when installing or testing a stand-alone fire suppression sprinkler system; and
• Makes technical changes, including to replace the word "administrator" with the word "director" where appropriate and to replace references to "he or she" with gender-neutral terms.

PORTIONS EFFECTIVE July 1, 2024

PORTIONS EFFECTIVE July 1, 2025
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)