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Commerce and Insurance finalizes electrical-rule updates, formalizes third-party plan-review option
Summary
The Department of Commerce and Insurance updated electrical installation rules to reflect a 45-day limit for temporary service releases, restructured recreational-vehicle inspection fees, and finalized permanent rules for third-party plans review and inspections allowed by 2024 statute; the committee advanced the package.
The Department of Commerce and Insurance presented a set of permanent rule updates for electrical installations and for third-party plans review and inspection that reflect statutory changes adopted in Public Chapter 771 (2024).
Mike Bell, assistant commissioner for the division of fire prevention, told the committee that the package codifies in rule the 45-day expiration period for temporary-service release permits (a provision long in statute) and restructures inspection fees for recreational-vehicle parks based on number of pedestals and service capacity. Bell said the third-party rules finalize an emergency rule from November 2024 and implement the statutory option for contractors or designers to use Tennessee-registered engineers and architects for third-party plans review and inspections in lieu of some local inspections.
Committee members asked about the 45-day statutory limit for temporary power poles and whether counties or construction projects sometimes operate beyond that timetable. Bell said the 45-day limit has been statutory since 2007 and acknowledged that legislative follow-up could change the timeframe if the legislature decides to act. The package received a positive recommendation in both chambers.
