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A4272
ASSEMBLY, No. 4272
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 19, 2026
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman� SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
���� Exempts licensed master plumbers from certain
electrical contractor business permit requirements.�
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
concerning the exemption of licensed master plumbers
from certain electrical contractor business permit requirements and amending
P.L.1962, c.162.�
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� Section 18 of P.L.1962,
c.162 (C.45:5A-18) is amended to read as follows:
���� 18.� Electrical work or
construction which is performed on the following facilities or which is by or
for the following agencies shall not be included within the business of
electrical contracting so as to require the securing of a business permit under
this act:
���� (a)�� Minor repair work such
as the replacement of lamps and fuses.
���� (b)�� The connection of
portable electrical appliances to suitable permanently installed receptacles.
���� (c)�� The testing, servicing
or repairing of electrical equipment or apparatus.
���� (d)�� Electrical work in
mines, on ships, railway cars, elevators, escalators or automotive equipment.
���� (e)�� Municipal plants or any
public utility as defined in
R.S.48:2-13, organized for the purpose of constructing, maintaining and
operating works for the generation, supplying, transmission and distribution of
electricity for electric light, heat, or power.
���� (f)�� A public utility subject
to regulation, supervision or control by a federal regulatory body, or a public
utility operating under the authority granted by the State of New Jersey, and
engaged in the furnishing of communication or signal service, or both, to a
public utility, or to the public, as an integral part of a communication or
signal system, and any agency associated or affiliated with any public utility
and engaged in research and development in the communications field.
���� (g)�� A railway utility in the
exercise of its functions as a utility and located in or on buildings or
premises used exclusively by such an agency.
���� (h)�� Commercial radio and
television transmission equipment.
���� (i)��� Construction by any
branch of the federal government.
���� (j)��� Any work with a
potential of less than 10 volts.
���� (k)�� Repair, manufacturing
and maintenance work on premises occupied by a firm or corporation, and
installation work on premises occupied by a firm or corporation and performed
by a regular employee who is a Class A journeyman electrician licensed pursuant
to section 3 of P.L.2001, c.21 (C.45:5A-11.1).
���� (l)��� Installation, repair or
maintenance performed by regular employees of the State or of a municipality,
county, or school district on the premises or property owned or occupied by the
State, a municipality, county, or school district; provided that a regular
employee of the State, municipality, county or school district performing this
work is a Class A journeyman electrician licensed pursuant to section 3 of
P.L.2001, c.21 (C.45:5A-11.1), or holds any civil service title with a job
description which includes electrical work pursuant to the "Civil Service
Act," N.J.S.11A:1-1 et seq., or regulations adopted pursuant thereto, or
any employee of a State authority who has completed an apprenticeship training
program approved by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of
Apprenticeship Training, that deals specifically with electrical work, and is
of a minimum duration of three years.
���� Any regular employee of the
State, or of a municipality, county or school district who has submitted his
application to the board for licensure as a Class A journeyman electrician
shall be permitted to continue to perform work pursuant to this subsection
until such time as the board acts upon his application.� Any applicant whose
licensure application is not approved by the board shall no longer be permitted
to perform electrical work pursuant to this subsection.
���� (m)� The maintaining,
installing or connecting of automatic oil, gas or coal burning equipment,
gasoline or diesel oil dispensing equipment and the lighting in connection
therewith to a supply of adequate size at the load side of the distribution
board
, or the replacement of an electric water heater with one of similar
size and voltage not to exceed 240 volts or less with a disconnecting means at
the load side of the distribution board or service disconnect located within
sight of the equipment, or for the replacement of a service disconnect and whip
serving a replacement air conditioning condensing unit not exceeding 240 volts
or less with one of a similar size and voltage requirements
.
���� (n)�� Work performed by a
person on a dwelling that is occupied solely as a residence for himself or for
a member or members of his immediate family.
���� (o)�� (Deleted by amendment,
P.L.1997, c.305).
���� (p)�� Any work performed by a
landscape irrigation contractor which has the potential of not more than 30
volts involving the installation, servicing, or maintenance of a landscape
irrigation system as this term is defined by section 2 of this amendatory and supplementary
act.� Nothing in this act shall be deemed to exempt work covered by this
subsection from inspection required by the "State Uniform Construction
Code Act," P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.) or regulations adopted
pursuant thereto.
���� (q)�� Any work performed by a
person certified pursuant to sections 1 through 10 of P.L.2001, c.289
(C.52:27D-25n through C.52:27D-25w) that is not branch circuit wiring.� For the
purposes of this subsection, "branch circuit wiring" means the
circuit conductors between the final overcurrent device protecting the circuit
and one or more outlets.� A certificate holder shall be deemed to have engaged
in professional misconduct for the purposes of section 8 of P.L.1978, c.73
(C.45:1-21) for violating the provisions of this subsection.
���� (r)��� Any work performed by
an alarm business, as that term is defined by section 2 of P.L.1985, c.289
(C.45:5A-18.1), licensed pursuant to P.L.1997, c.305 (C.45:5A-23 et seq.) that
is not branch circuit wiring.� For the purposes of this subsection, "branch
circuit wiring" means the circuit conductors between the final overcurrent
device protecting the circuit and one or more outlets.� A licensee shall be
deemed to have engaged in professional misconduct for the purposes of section 8
of P.L.1978, c.73 (C.45:1-21) for violating the provisions of this subsection.
���� The board may also exempt from
the business permit provisions of this act such other electrical activities of
like character which in the board's opinion warrant exclusion from the
provisions of this act.
(cf: P.L.2021, c.479, s.10)
���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect on the first day of the fourth month next following the date of
enactment, and shall apply to contracts initiated for services on or after the
effective date of this act.
STATEMENT
���� This bill exempts licensed
master plumbers in the State from certain business permit requirements under
the law governing electrical contractors concerning certain electric water
heaters and air conditioning units.� Electric water heaters are among the most
common types of water heaters in New Jersey and the United States, and are
increasing in popularity due to their cost and energy efficiency.� Electric air
conditioning condensing units are also very popular appliances.�
���� Licensed master plumbers in
New Jersey possess the skills and training necessary to replace these
appliances, but under current law these plumbers would need to hold a New
Jersey master electrician�s license to perform such work.� By exempting
licensed New Jersey master plumbers from needing a business permit from the
Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors, this bill frees those plumbers to
perform additional tasks.� This less burdensome requirement will provide costs
savings to customers by increasing competition for plumbing services and
plumbers by removing a costly and unnecessary regulatory requirement.