SF0114 • 2024

Contractor licenses-reciprocal recognition requirements.

AN ACT relating to city, county, state and local powers; requiring local governments to recognize and grant reciprocity to contractor licenses issued by a Wyoming county, city or town; specifying conditions for reciprocity; and providing for an effective date.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Senator Rothfuss
Last action: 2024-03-14
Official status: enrolled
Effective date: 7/1/2024

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify that local governments can enter into agreements for recognizing licenses from other jurisdictions, although it is implied by the context of reciprocity requirements.

Contractor Licenses - Reciprocal Recognition Requirements

This law requires local governments to recognize contractor licenses issued by other Wyoming cities, towns, or counties if certain conditions are met.

What This Bill Does

Requires each city, town, and county in Wyoming to accept a contractor license from another city, town, or county if the original license is still valid and the contractor has no issues with their previous licensing body.
Allows local governments to ask for proof that a contractor's initial license is active and up-to-date before granting recognition.
Requires contractors seeking reciprocity to provide evidence of passing necessary exams or certifications.
Permits local governments to deny recognition if the contractor had a license revoked or suspended in their original jurisdiction.

Who It Names or Affects

Contractors who hold licenses issued by cities, towns, or counties within Wyoming.
Local government entities that issue and recognize contractor licenses.

Terms To Know

Accepting jurisdiction: The city, town, county, or other local government entity that recognizes a license from another jurisdiction.
Issuing jurisdiction: The city, town, county, or other local government entity that originally issued the contractor's license.

Limits and Unknowns

Local governments can still require contractors to complete additional testing if the work is not at an equivalent level of required competency.
This law does not apply to licenses from outside Wyoming.
The full impact on local government operations and contractor mobility within Wyoming remains to be seen.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SF0114S3001

3rd reading • Senator Rothfuss

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes requirements for local governments to recognize contractor licenses from other Wyoming jurisdictions by adding conditions related to financial assurance and certification.

Local governments must now ensure that a contractor's license is active and the contractor is in good standing with the issuing jurisdiction before recognizing the license.
Contractors seeking recognition of their license must provide proof of successful completion of specific examinations or manufacturer certifications, depending on the type of work.

The amendment removes some existing text without providing it, making it unclear what was originally there and how this change affects previous requirements.
Details about equivalent examinations or certifications are not specified in the provided amendment text.

SF0114SS001

Standing Committee • Senate Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivi

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment modifies a bill about contractor license reciprocity by adding conditions under which a local government can deny recognition to a contractor's license from another Wyoming jurisdiction.

Adds a new clause (v) that allows an accepting jurisdiction to deny recognition of a contractor’s license if the contractor has had their license revoked or suspended in that jurisdiction before.
Inserts language after 'jurisdiction' on page 4, line 15, stating that a contractor seeking work must meet equivalent competency requirements in the accepting jurisdiction.

The amendment text does not specify all details about how reciprocity will be granted or what happens if a contractor fails to meet competency requirements.

Bill History

2024-03-14 LSO
Assigned Chapter Number 71
2024-03-14 Governor
Governor Signed SEA No. 0037
2024-03-07 House
H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0037
2024-03-07 Senate
S President Signed SEA No. 0037
2024-03-06 LSO
Assigned Number SEA No. 0037
2024-03-06 House
H 3rd Reading:Passed 62-0-0-0-0
2024-03-05 House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
2024-03-04 House
H COW:Passed
2024-03-04 House
H Placed on General File
2024-03-04 House
H09 - Minerals:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0
2024-02-29 House
H Introduced and Referred to H09 - Minerals
2024-02-28 House
H Received for Introduction
2024-02-27 Senate
S 3rd Reading:Passed 27-2-0-0-2
2024-02-26 Senate
S 2nd Reading:Passed
2024-02-23 Senate
S COW:Passed
2024-02-21 Senate
S Placed on General File
2024-02-21 Senate
S07 - Corporations:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 3-0-1-0-1
2024-02-15 Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S07 - Corporations 30-0-0-0-1
2024-02-14 Senate
S Received for Introduction
2024-02-13 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 24LSO-0574

Bill No.:

SF0114

Effective:

7/1/2024

LSO No.:

24LSO-0574

Enrolled Act No.:

SEA No. 0037

Chapter No.:

Prime Sponsor:

Rothfuss

Catch Title:

Contractor licenses-reciprocal recognition requirements.

Has Report:

Subject:

Requiring local governments to recognize and grant reciprocity to locally issued contractor licenses.

Summary/Major Elements:

This act requires each county, city, town and other government entity that issues licenses to contractors to recognize a license issued to a contractor by another county, city, town or other government entity in Wyoming.

In order to receive reciprocity from another local government entity, the contractor's previously issued license must be valid, and the contractor must be in good standing with the entity that granted the license. The contractor must also provide any proof of financial assurance that the entity granting reciprocity requires.

The act also requires a contractor seeking reciprocity to provide proof of the successful completion of any examination appropriate for the license. After providing that proof, no further testing is required.

The act specifies that a local government may require a contractor to provide proof for the government to confirm that the contractor's initial license is active and in good standing.

A local government may deny reciprocal recognition if a contractor has previously had a license revoked or suspended.

The act contemplates that local governments can enter into agreements for the recognition of contractor licenses obtained in other jurisdictions in Wyoming.

The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.

While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

24LSO-0574

ORIGINAL Senate

File No
.
SF0114

ENROLLED ACT NO. 37,

SENATE

SIXTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2024 Budget Session

AN ACT relating to city, county, state and local powers; requiring local governments to recognize and grant reciprocity to contractor licenses issued by a Wyoming county, city or town; specifying conditions for reciprocity; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 16
‑
6
‑
1101 is created to read:

ARTICLE 11
CONTRACTOR LICENSES – RECIPROCITY

16
‑
6
‑
1101.

Contractor licenses; reciprocity; requirements.

(a)

As used in this section:

(i)

"Accepting jurisdiction" means a county, city, town or other government entity that is required to recognize and accept a license issued by an issuing jurisdiction;

(ii)

"Contractor" means a person employed by and contracting with an owner to improve an owner's property;

(iii)

"Issuing jurisdiction" means the county, city, town or other government entity that issued a license to a contractor;

(iv)

"License" means any license or certification necessary for a contractor to perform work in a jurisdiction.

(b)

Each county, city, town and other government entity that issues licenses to contractors shall recognize a license issued to a contractor by another county, city, town or other government entity in Wyoming, in accordance with the following:

(i)

Before the accepting jurisdiction shall recognize the license under this section:

(A)

The contractor's license shall be active; and

(B)

The contractor shall be in good standing with the issuing jurisdiction and shall provide to the accepting jurisdiction any proof of financial assurance required by the accepting jurisdiction.

(ii)

The contractor shall provide proof of the successful completion of the international code council examination for contractor, plumbing, mechanical or another appropriate examination, or an equivalent. Contractors seeking to have a license recognized by an accepting jurisdiction for fire systems installation, testing or maintenance shall provide proof of the successful completion of the appropriate manufacturer certification, including the national institute for certification in engineering technologies, American fire sprinkler association, national fire sprinkler association or their equivalents. Upon providing appropriate proof under this paragraph, no contractor shall be required to complete any testing in the accepting jurisdiction for recognition of the license;

(iii)

Any applications required for recognition of a license by an accepting jurisdiction shall only require the minimum amount of information necessary for the accepting jurisdiction to verify the license and the contractor's good standing in the issuing jurisdiction;

(iv)

The accepting jurisdiction may require a contractor to provide proof sufficient for the accepting jurisdiction to confirm that the contractor's license is active and in good standing in the issuing jurisdiction;

(v)

The accepting jurisdiction may deny a contractor recognition of a license if the contractor has previously had a license revoked or suspended by the accepting jurisdiction;

(vi)

Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to:

(A)

Require an accepting jurisdiction to grant privileges to a contractor for a license that is not of a similar type or class to the license granted by the issuing jurisdiction;

(B)

Prohibit an accepting jurisdiction from requiring a contractor to complete application requirements and procedures, satisfactorily complete any testing requirements or pay fees if the contractor seeks to perform work in an accepting jurisdiction that is not covered under the license issued by the issuing jurisdiction or seeks to perform work that is not at an equivalent level of required competency in the accepting jurisdiction.

(c)

Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit any county, city, town or other government entity that issues licenses to contractors from entering into agreements for the recognition of licenses obtained in other jurisdictions in Wyoming.

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 2024
.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the Senate.

Chief Clerk

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