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Board discusses mandatory penalties and journeyman fee changes; approves enforcement orders and executive director pay increase
Summary
Board members debated a proposed mandatory, non-negotiable penalty for employing unlicensed workers and discussed restoring a journeyman fee; the board approved multiple administrative enforcement orders, default final orders and an executive director pay increase in closed session.
The board spent significant time on enforcement policy and license-fee structure and took several formal administrative actions that the public should note.
Discussion items - Mandatory penalties for employing unlicensed workers: Board members discussed a proposal to create a mandatory, non-negotiable penalty for employers who knowingly employ unlicensed or unregistered persons. The current matrix lists a $4,000 fee (with a statutory maximum of $5,000 per person per day). Several board members recommended raising the mandatory penalty to the statutory maximum for greater deterrence and discussed escalation for repeat offenders. Staff noted enforcement already reduces fees in settlement for cooperation; the board debated removing or limiting settlement discounts for this violation. No formal rule or penalty change was adopted at the meeting; staff and board agreed to gather industry feedback and return with a formal proposal, likely in the next calendar cycle.
- Journeyman license fee for masters who retain a journeyman card: Board members discussed whether masters who retain a journeyman license should pay a separate fee (historically $40). Some members favored reinstating a small add-on fee or adding a specific "journeyman-with-master" fee rather than raising the master fee across the board. Staff noted the agency earlier reduced multiple fees (including endorsements) and that the supplemental appropriation is one-time general revenue that cannot be used to offset recurring fee decisions. The item was discussed only; no fee changes were adopted; board members asked staff to solicit industry feedback.
Votes and formal administrative actions (at-a-glance) - Executive director compensation: The board took final action in executive session and approved an increase in the executive director’s compensation to $134,827 effective Sept. 1, 2025. The board vacated an earlier motion and approved the corrected amount; the action was approved by voice vote in session.
- Administrative penalties and agreed orders: The board approved a batch of administrative penalty orders and settlements presented in the meeting materials and authorized the chairman to sign on behalf of the board.
- Default final orders: The board approved 15 default final orders for respondents who did not appear after proper notice; consequences include license holds or final penalties as listed in meeting materials.
Why it matters: The enforcement-policy discussion addresses how the board will deter unlicensed plumbing work—a primary enforcement challenge for the agency. The executive director salary increase and approvals of settlements/defaults are formal agency actions that change staff compensation and finalize enforcement outcomes.
Next steps: Staff will gather industry feedback on penalties and journeyman fee structure, draft possible rule or matrix changes, and return items for formal rulemaking or board decision in a future meeting. Enforcement staff will continue to process collections and work with the Attorney General’s collections unit on larger past-due accounts.
