Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate carves exemption for rural electric co-ops from some engineering stamp requirements
Summary
House Bill 323 as amended passed the Senate after floor debate. Sponsors said the change prevents routine maintenance tasks from requiring an engineers stamp for every task; opponents warned of public-safety and liability concerns. Final Senate vote recorded 25-2.
The Senate approved House Bill 323 as amended to clarify when professional engineers must stamp work under the engineering and surveying practice act and to create an exemption for a rural electric distribution cooperative.
Sponsors explanation: Senator Shindo described the bill as a response to prior legislation and to practical issues for electric cooperatives. He said the 2023 change had the effect of requiring engineers to stamp routine maintenance and small extensions on utility systems, and that this created delays and costs passed to member-owners. The amendment creates an exemption for the cooperative for certain routine activities.
Debate and concerns: several senators raised public-safety and liability questions. Senator Soles argued licensed professional engineers protect the public when dealing with high-power electric systems and said she could not support an exemption without safeguards. Senator Pinto asked who would assume liability for improper work; the sponsor and an expert witness from the cooperative said the cooperative assumes responsibility and that most cooperatives contract engineers for larger projects and follow USDA specifications. Senator Woods described the difference between engineering design/stamping during construction and day-to-day maintenance.
Vote and outcome: Senator Shindo moved passage. The clerk announced the result: "By a vote of 25 in the affirmative, 2 in the negative, House Bill 323 as amended has passed the Senate." Senators Soles and Pinto were recorded voting no.
Next steps and implementation: sponsors said routine maintenance and small tasks would not require an engineers stamp while major design work would still be subject to engineering review and inspection; the cooperatives expert said a portion of completed work orders are inspected and that cooperatives follow lender standards for engineering where applicable.
Ending: the vote passed despite safety concerns raised on the floor; the transcript does not record subsequent administrative guidance or rulemaking.
