PLUMBERS: Provides relative to plumbing

HLS 26RS-1910 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 1197
BY REPRESENTATIVE RISER
PLUMBERS: Provides relative to plumbing
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 37:1374(C) and 1378(A) and to enact R.S. 37:1374(D), relative
3 to regulation of plumbers; to provide administrative fines for violations; to provide
4 grounds for revocation of licenses and other disciplinary actions; and to provide for
5 related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 37:1374(C) and 1378(A) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
8 37:1374(D) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 §1374. Penalty
10 * * *
11 C.(1) In addition to the authority provided in Subsection B of this Section,
12 and subject to the Administrative Procedure Act, R.S. 49:950 et seq., the State
13 Plumbing Board may assess administrative fines of not less than five hundred dollars
14 nor more than five thousand dollars per violation against any person or employing
15 entity for violations of this Chapter or rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this
16 Chapter.
17 (2) An administrative fine pursuant to this Subsection may be assessed for
18 each separate violation, and shall do all of the following:
19 (a) Not require the filing of a consumer complaint.
20 (b) Be imposed only after notice and an opportunity for hearing as required
21 by the Administrative Procedure Act.
22 (c) Be independent of any criminal prosecution.
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HLS 26RS-1910 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 1197
1 D. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to supersede the exceptions
2 provided for in R.S. 37:1376 and 1377.
3 * * *
4 §1378. Revocation, of licenses suspension, and refusal to issue or renew
5 licenses; other disciplinary actions
6 A. The board may, pursuant to the procedures provided in the Administrative
7 Procedure Act, revoke, suspend, or refuse to renew, or refuse to issue any license or
8 endorsement, or issue cease-and-desist orders to assess administrative fines in
9 accordance with R.S. 37:1374, or otherwise discipline any licensee or applicant,
10 subject to the jurisdiction of the board issued by the board to any natural person.
11 Grounds for revocation, or lesser disciplinary action, include but are not limited to
12 the following:
13 (1) Conviction of a felony related to the practices regulated by this Chapter.
14 (2) Falsification of any material portion of a licensee's application or other
15 requisite submission to the board including but not limited to insurance, work,
16 training, or experience verifications.
17 (3) The habitual performance of the work regulated by this Chapter of either
18 a residential plumber limited, journeyman plumber, or a master plumber which is
19 substantially below the standards established by the Louisiana Department of Health,
20 or any of its agencies or offices, the state fire marshal, applicable adopted codes, or
21 board regulations or the habitual performance of work of a medical gas installer or
22 medical gas and vacuum systems verifier not in compliance with regulations of the
23 state fire marshal or related local governmental codes.
24 (4) The refusal of a master plumber, after notice from the board, to
25 accurately designate an employment entity in his application, his renewal thereof, or
26 upon any change in employment status Failure of a master plumber, master gas fitter,
27 or other licensee required by this Chapter to designate or maintain with an employing
28 entity, or to provide written notice to the board of any change in employment status.
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HLS 26RS-1910 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 1197
1 (5) The habitual practice of a master plumber to knowingly allow any
2 employing entity to hold itself out as engaging in the business of plumbing at a time
3 when the employing entity does not employ the master plumber as designated to the
4 board.
5 (6) The habitual practice of a residential plumber limited, journeyman
6 plumber, master plumber, medical gas piping installer, or holder of a water supply
7 protection specialist endorsement any licensee to knowingly allow any person not
8 licensed by the board to perform plumbing work, medical gas piping installation, or
9 the work of a water supply protection specialist, except as otherwise authorized work
10 regulated by this Chapter, except as otherwise authorized in this Chapter.
11 (7) A final determination of The the violation of any applicable municipal
12 or other local plumbing codes adopted code related to plumbing or gas fitting by any
13 local government entity not otherwise preempted by this Chapter or related
14 regulations as evidenced by adjudication before local governing authorities.
15 (8) The habitual violation Violation of any provision of this Chapter or any
16 by a master plumber, journeyman plumber, residential plumber limited, apprentice
17 plumber, medical gas piping installer, medical gas and vacuum systems verifier, or
18 holder of a water supply protection specialist endorsement of the rules and
19 regulations adopted by the board pursuant to this Chapter.
20 (9) The habitual violation of any rules or regulations adopted by the board
21 by a gas fitter or master gas fitter Past inability of the applicant or licensee to
22 lawfully and competently engage in work regulated in accordance with this Chapter,
23 as demonstrated by prior documented violations of this Chapter, adjudicated
24 violations of applicable codes, or prior disciplinary actions by another governmental
25 authority.
26 (10) The violation of any municipal code, any other code adopted by the
27 board related to gas fitting not otherwise preempted by this Chapter, or any other
28 related regulation as evidenced by an adjudication from a local governing authority
29 Any dishonest, fraudulent, deceptive, or grossly negligent act committed in the
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HLS 26RS-1910 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 1197
1 course of performing work regulated by this Chapter or in communications with the
2 board.
3 (11) The refusal of a master gas fitter to accurately designate an employing
4 entity or provide notice of any change in employment with an employing entity
5 Abandoning regulated work or failing to perform any regulated work undertaken by
6 a licensee without justification.
7 (12) Final disciplinary action, including disqualification, suspension,
8 revocation, consent order, or other restriction of a license imposed by another state
9 or governmental entity, including but not limited to the State Licensing Board for
10 Contractors, constitutes grounds for disciplinary action by this board.
11 (13) Failure to maintain any qualification required for licensure pursuant to
12 this Chapter.
13 (14) Representing, advertising, publishing, or otherwise holding oneself out
14 as licensed or endorsed by the board when not in possession of a valid license or
15 endorsement issued pursuant to this Chapter.
16 (15) Performing any work regulated by this Chapter without proper licensure.
17 * * *
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 1197 Original 2026 Regular Session Riser
Abstract: Provides for penalties and administrative fines for plumbers who violate the law
or rules and regulations.
Present law provides for penalties for violations of present law, including administrative
fines for a person who performs plumbing work while not possessing a license or
endorsement issued in accordance with present law. Proposed law gives discretion to the
State Plumbing Bd. to also assess administrative fines of not less than $500 nor more than
$5000 per violation against any person or employing entity for violations of present law or
rules and regulations adopted pursuant to present law.
Proposed law provides that an administrative fine issued pursuant to proposed law may be
assessed for each separate violation, shall not require the filing of a consumer complaint,
shall be imposed only after notice and an opportunity for hearing, and shall be independent
of any criminal prosecution.
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HLS 26RS-1910 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 1197
Present law allows the State Plumbing Bd. to revoke, suspend, or refuse to renew a license
or endorsement issued by the State Plumbing Bd. on certain grounds. Proposed law adds to
present law that the State Plumbing Bd. may refuse to issue a license or endorsement or to
issue cease-and-desist orders to, assess administrative fines to, or otherwise discipline a
licensee or applicant subject to the jurisdiction of the board.
Present law provides grounds for which disciplinary measures may be imposed, including
any of the following:
(1) Conviction of a felony.
(2) Falsification of any material portion of a licensee's application or other requisite
submission to the board; including but not limited to insurance, work, training, or
experience verifications.
(3) The habitual performance of the work of either a residential plumber limited,
journeyman plumber, or a master plumber which is substantially below the standards
established by the La. Dept. of Health (LDH) or any of its agencies or offices, or the
habitual performance of work of a medical gas installer or medical gas and vacuum
systems verifier not in compliance with regulations of the state fire marshal or
related local governmental codes.
(4) The refusal of a master plumber, after notice from the board, to accurately designate
an employment entity in his application, his renewal, or upon any change in
employment status with an employing entity.
(5) The habitual practice of a master plumber to knowingly allow any employing entity
to hold itself out as engaging in the business of plumbing at a time when the
employing entity does not employ the master plumber as designated to the board.
(6) The habitual practice of a residential plumber limited, journeyman plumber, master
plumber, medical gas piping installer, or holder of a water supply protection
specialist endorsement to knowingly allow any person not licensed by the board to
perform plumbing work, medical gas piping installation, or the work of a water
supply protection specialist, except as otherwise authorized by present law.
(7) The violation of municipal or other local plumbing codes not otherwise preempted
by present law or related regulations as evidenced by adjudication before local
governing authorities.
(8) The habitual violation by a master plumber, journeyman plumber, residential
plumber limited, apprentice plumber, medical gas piping installer, medical gas and
vacuum systems verifier, or holder of a water supply protection specialist
endorsement of the rules and regulations adopted by the board.
(9) The habitual violation of any rules or regulations adopted by the board by a gas fitter
or master gas fitter.
(10) The violation of any municipal code, any other code adopted by the board related to
gas fitting not otherwise preempted by present law, or any other related regulation
as evidenced by an adjudication from a local governing authority.
(11) The refusal of a master gas fitter to accurately designate an employing entity or
provide notice of any change in employment with an employing entity.
Proposed law changes those grounds for disciplinary measures in present law to provide for
discipline for any of the following:
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HLS 26RS-1910 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 1197
(1) Conviction of a felony related to the practices regulated by proposed law.
(2) Falsification of any material portion of a licensee's application or other submission
to the board.
(3) The performance of work regulated by proposed law which is below the standards
established by the LDH or any of its agencies or offices, the state fire marshal,
applicable adopted codes, or board regulations.
(4) Failure of a master plumber, master gas fitter, or other licensee required by proposed
law to designate or maintain an employing entity, or to provide written notice to the
board of any change in employment status.
(5) The practice of a master plumber to knowingly allow any employing entity to hold
itself out as engaging in the business of plumbing at a time when the employing
entity does not employ the master plumber as designated to the board.
(6) The practice of any licensee to knowingly allow any person not licensed by the board
to perform work regulated by proposed law, except as otherwise authorized in
proposed law.
(7) A final determination of the violation of any applicable municipal or adopted code
related to plumbing or gas fitting by any local government entity.
(8) Violation of any provision of proposed law or any rules adopted pursuant to
proposed law.
(9) Past inability of the applicant or licensee to lawfully and competently engage in work
regulated pursuant to proposed law, as demonstrated by prior documented violations
of proposed law, adjudicated violations of applicable codes, or prior disciplinary
actions by another governmental authority.
(10) Any dishonest, fraudulent, deceptive, or grossly negligent act committed in the
course of performing work regulated by proposed law or in communications with the
board.
(11) Abandoning regulated work or failing to perform any regulated work undertaken by
a licensee without justification.
(12) Final disciplinary action, including disqualification, suspension, revocation, consent
order, or other restriction of a license imposed by another state or governmental
entity, including but not limited to the State Licensing Bd. for Contractors, shall
constitute grounds for disciplinary action by this board.
(13) Failure to maintain any qualification required for licensure pursuant to proposed law.
(14) Representing, advertising, publishing, or otherwise holding oneself out as licensed
or endorsed by the board when not in possession of a valid license or endorsement
issued pursuant to proposed law.
(15) Performing any work regulated by proposed law without proper licensure.
(Amends R.S. 37:1374(C) and 1378(A); Adds R.S. 37:1374(D))
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