Requiring Division of Labor establish separate rules for residential or commercial plumbing

SB 242 Text

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Introduced Version

Senate Bill 242 History

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Key:
Green
= existing Code.
Red
= new code to be enacted

FISCAL NOTE

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
2026
REGULAR SESSION
Introduced
Senate Bill 242
By Senator Clements
[Introduced January 14, 2026; referred
to the Committee on Government Organization; and then to the Committee on Finance]
A BILL to amend and reenact §21-14-2 and §21-14-4 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to the Division of Labor; providing definitions for plumbing work; and requiring the Commissioner of Labor to propose separate rules for plumbers who work in a residential dwelling or in a commercial building or facility.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 14. SUPERVISION OF PLUMBING WORK.

§21-14-2. Definitions.

As used in this article:
(a)
"License" means a valid and current license issued by the Commissioner of Labor in accordance with the provisions of this article.
(b)
"Journeyman plumber" means a person qualified by passage of a journeyman plumber written examination with a score of at least 70 percent and who is competent to instruct and supervise the work of a plumber in training.
(c)
"Master plumber" means a person who has passed a master plumber written examination with a score of at least 70 percent and who is competent to design plumbing systems, and to instruct and supervise the plumbing work of journeyman plumbers, and plumbers in training:
Provided
, That the master plumber written examination may not be taken until one year after passage of the journeyman plumber examination.
(d)
"Plumber in training" means a person who has not passed the journeyman plumber examination:
Provided
, That the fee for plumbers in training may not be higher than $25.00.
(e)
"Plumbing" means the practice, materials, and fixtures utilized within a building in the installation, extension, and alteration of all piping, fixtures, water treatment devices, plumbing appliances, and appurtenances, in connection with sanitary drainage or storm drainage facilities; the plumbing venting systems; medical gas systems; fuel oil and gas piping for residential,
nonresidential,
commercial, and institutional facilities; backflow preventers; and public or private water supply systems, as defined by the state building code.
(f)
"Single family dwelling" means a building which is occupied as, or designed or intended for occupancy as, a single residence for one or more persons.

§21-14-4. Rule-making authority.

The Commissioner of Labor shall propose rules for legislative approval, in accordance with the provisions of §29A-3-1
et seq.
of this code, for the implementation and enforcement of the provisions of this article, which shall provide:
(1) Standards and procedures for issuing and renewing licenses, including classifications of licenses as defined in this article, applications, examinations and qualifications,
including

separate rules for plumbers who work in a residential dwelling or in a commercial building or facility
;
(2) Provisions for the granting of licenses without examination, to applicants who present satisfactory evidence of having the expertise required to perform work at the level of the classifications defined in this article and who apply for licensure on or before July 1, 2009:
Provided,
That if a license issued under the authority of this subsection subsequently lapses, the applicant is subject to all licensure requirements, including the examination;
(3) Reciprocity provisions;
(4) Procedures for investigating complaints and revoking or suspending licenses, including appeal procedures;
(5) Fees for testing, issuance and renewal of licenses, and other costs necessary to administer the provisions of this article;
(6) Enforcement procedures; and
(7) Any other rules necessary to effectuate the purposes of this article.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require the Commissioner of Labor to propose separate rules for plumbers who work in a residential dwelling or in a commercial building or facility.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.

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