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Senate committee holds bill loosening apprentice supervision for electricians after safety, reciprocity concerns
Summary
House Bill 214, which would let journeymen or contractors determine whether apprentices can work without direct supervision, was held in committee after testimony from electricians, contractors, unions and the state licensing bureau raised safety, insurance and interstate reciprocity concerns.
The Senate Commerce and Human Resources Committee on Thursday held House Bill 214 after extended testimony from electricians, contractors and the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses about safety, liability and licensing reciprocity.
Rep. Kyle Harrison, R.-District 7, the bill's sponsor, told the committee the proposal "simply allows for a contractor or journeyman to determine whether or not their apprentice is a qualified apprentice" and framed the measure as deregulation that would let experienced tradespeople exercise judgment about on‑site supervision.
Opponents urged caution. Joe Maloney, president of the Idaho AFL-CIO and a journeyman electrician, told the committee that even experienced apprentices can make dangerous mistakes and recounted a near-fatal workplace shock to illustrate the risk. "This is a terrible bill. Apprentices need supervision on the job," Maloney said.
Contractors and contractor-association witnesses said the bill would change on-the-job training, apprenticeship education and supervision ratios and could increase workplace risk. James McKenzie, who manages a company with about 150 employees, said allowing one journeyman to supervise many apprentices would reduce quality control and raise the risk of fires and injuries.
Amy Lorenzo, bureau chief for building construction and real estate at the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, told the committee the bill could "affect reciprocity." She testified that several states in the National Electrical Reciprocal Alliance indicated that removing on-site supervision for apprentices would compromise Idaho's ability to honor reciprocal licensing agreements.
Sen. Guthrie moved to hold the bill in committee and the motion carried. Committee members who supported holding the bill said they wanted more time for stakeholders to negotiate technical language and to resolve concerns about apprentice reporting, liability insurance and effects on interstate reciprocity.
The committee record shows robust testimony from industry, labor and licensing officials; the transcript does not record a committee roll-call tally for the hold motion in the provided excerpts.
