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Committee approves bill to ease hiring for municipal electrical inspectors; sponsor says it will speed inspections
Summary
Senate Bill 445 as amended would give municipalities more flexibility to hire electrical inspectors who need not hold an electrical license but must meet new statutory qualifications. Sponsor said the measure addresses workforce shortages and will prevent inspection delays.
Sen. Kim Hammer presented Senate Bill 445, which — as amended in committee — changes qualifications that municipalities may use to hire electrical inspectors. Hammer said municipalities struggle to recruit licensed electricians to serve as inspectors because licensed electricians are in short supply and can command higher pay in the private market; the bill establishes statutory parameters for non-licensed inspectors so local governments can fill inspection roles without compromising public safety.
Hammer told the committee the amendment had been adopted and that the bill spells out the training and other requirements an inspector must meet. He said the change would help keep building projects moving by preventing inspection delays. Committee members asked no substantive follow-up questions; no opponents had signed up to testify. The committee adopted the amendment, then passed SB 445 by voice vote.
