Senate committee recommends Thomas D. Cole for Arizona Registrar of Contractors after hourlong hearing

The Senate Committee on Director Nominations voted 4-1 on March 13 to recommend Thomas David Cole for confirmation as director of the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) after a roughly 90-minute hearing where members praised operational improvements but pressed Cole on his construction experience, enforcement approaches and interactions with federal agencies.

Cole, the agency's interim director since October 2023, told the committee he has led ROC efforts to reduce overhead, balance the budget and improve customer service while maintaining enforcement against unlicensed contractors. "I pledge to serve with integrity, fairness, and innovation, ensuring that the ROC remains a pillar of trust and professionalism for all Arizonans," Cole said in his opening remarks.

The committee's brief nut graf: the ROC oversees contractor licensing for a rapidly growing Arizona construction sector and handles complaints that affect homeowners, businesses and public safety. Members focused on whether Cole's background as a long‑time public safety executive and administrator equips him to lead a licensing and enforcement agency that regulates construction professionals and adjudicates consumer disputes.

Most of the committee's questions centered on Cole's qualifications and specific ROC operations. Cole described agency metrics and workload: the ROC lists more than 58,000 active licenses, processed nearly 7,000 license applications in 2024 and investigated about 7,800 complaints last year, with roughly 412 referrals for prosecution. He said the agency now averages about 6.4 days to issue a license and roughly 45 days to close an investigative case, noting that recovery‑fund matters can take substantially longer.

Senators pressed Cole on three recurring topics:

- Construction background and vetting: Several members noted Cole's professional résumé centers on fire and emergency services rather than hands‑on contracting. Cole acknowledged he has not worked as a contractor but described long experience supervising building operations, coordinating construction of fire stations and participating in construction project teams.

- Enforcement and proactive investigations: Cole said the ROC remains primarily complaint‑driven but has authorized limited proactive enforcement, including outreach on advertising platforms where unlicensed providers may solicit work. He described a graduated approach that begins with education and warning letters and escalates to cease‑and‑desist notices and criminal referrals when necessary.

- Interagency agreements: Senators questioned Cole about a November 2023 memorandum of understanding between the ROC and the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division. Cole said the MOU is voluntary, nonbinding and contains a 30‑day withdrawal clause; he described it as an information‑sharing arrangement used when federal investigations uncover potential misclassification that intersects ROC licensing rules. "We entered into it so we could learn more about them," he said, and added the ROC has not undertaken joint investigations under the MOU.

Committee members acknowledged operational improvements Cole reported, including a move to a Salesforce environment to speed licensing and a reconstituted industry advisory council. Senator Bravo and others cited faster licensing throughput, outreach to schools and workforce development events, and the ROC's publication of performance metrics.

The committee then voted to recommend Cole's confirmation to the full Senate. Roll call recorded the following votes: Senator Bravo — yes; Senator Kavanaugh — yes (after a brief explanation); Senator Diaz — yes; Senator Jarrett — yes; Senator Hoffman (chair) — no. The committee recommendation will be forwarded to the full Senate for final confirmation.

Ending: Cole told the committee he looks forward to Senate consideration and to continuing the ROC's focus on consumer protection, contractor accountability and workforce development in Arizona's construction industry.