1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to occupations; modifying provisions relating 
  1.3             to plumbers giving bond to the state; requiring a 
  1.4             study; amending Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 
  1.5             326.40, subdivisions 2, 4, and 5. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 326.40, 
  1.8   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 2.  [MASTER PLUMBER'S LICENSE; BOND AND; INSURANCE 
  1.10  REQUIREMENTS.] The applicant for a master plumber license may 
  1.11  give bond to the state in the total penal sum of $2,000 
  1.12  conditioned upon the faithful and lawful performance of all work 
  1.13  entered upon within the state.  Any person contracting to do 
  1.14  plumbing work must give bond to the state in the amount of 
  1.15  $25,000 for all work entered into within the state.  The bond 
  1.16  shall be for the benefit of persons injured or suffering 
  1.17  financial loss by reason of failure of performance to comply 
  1.18  with the requirements of the plumbing code.  The term of the 
  1.19  bond shall be concurrent with the term of the license.  The A 
  1.20  bond given to the state shall be filed with the secretary of 
  1.21  state and shall be in lieu of all other license bonds to any 
  1.22  political subdivision required for plumbing work.  The bond 
  1.23  shall be written by a corporate surety licensed to do business 
  1.24  in the state. 
  1.25     In addition, each applicant for a master plumber license or 
  2.1   renewal thereof, may provide evidence of public liability 
  2.2   insurance, including products liability insurance with limits of 
  2.3   at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per occurrence and 
  2.4   property damage insurance with limits of at least $10,000.  The 
  2.5   insurance shall be written by an insurer licensed to do business 
  2.6   in the state of Minnesota and each licensed master plumber shall 
  2.7   maintain on file with the state commissioner of health a 
  2.8   certificate evidencing the insurance providing that the 
  2.9   insurance shall not be canceled without the insurer first giving 
  2.10  15 days written notice to the commissioner.  The term of the 
  2.11  insurance shall be concurrent with the term of the license.  The 
  2.12  certificate shall be in lieu of all other certificates required 
  2.13  by any political subdivision for licensing purposes. 
  2.14     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 326.40, 
  2.15  subdivision 4, is amended to read: 
  2.16     Subd. 4.  [ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE.] Compliance with the 
  2.17  local bond requirements of a locale within which work is to be 
  2.18  performed shall be deemed to satisfy the bond and insurance 
  2.19  requirements of subdivision 2, provided the local ordinance 
  2.20  requires at least a $25,000 bond. 
  2.21     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 326.40, 
  2.22  subdivision 5, is amended to read: 
  2.23     Subd. 5.  [FEE.] The state commissioner of health may 
  2.24  charge each applicant for a master plumber license or for a 
  2.25  renewal of a master plumber license and an additional fee person 
  2.26  giving bond an annual bond filing fee commensurate with the cost 
  2.27  of administering the bond and insurance requirements of 
  2.28  subdivision 2. 
  2.29     Sec. 4.  [STUDY REGARDING THE EXPANSION OF PLUMBER 
  2.30  LICENSURE AND PLUMBING INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS.] 
  2.31     (a) The commissioner of health, in consultation with 
  2.32  representatives of the plumbing industry and other interested 
  2.33  individuals, shall study and make recommendations to the 
  2.34  legislature on the following issues: 
  2.35     (1) whether licensure requirements for plumbers should be 
  2.36  expanded to require all persons and firms working as master 
  3.1   plumbers or journeyman plumbers in any home rule city or 
  3.2   statutory city to be licensed by the commissioner; 
  3.3      (2) whether any modifications are necessary to the 
  3.4   education requirements for licensure for master plumbers and 
  3.5   journeyman plumbers; 
  3.6      (3) whether the commissioner may charge fees to fund the 
  3.7   hiring of inspectors and plan reviewers to inspect and review 
  3.8   all new plumbing installations, and the amounts of such fees; 
  3.9   and 
  3.10     (4) whether the commissioner's authority to inspect new 
  3.11  plumbing installations should be expanded to require inspections 
  3.12  of all new plumbing installations for new construction and 
  3.13  additions, regardless of location or the population of the city 
  3.14  or town in which the installation is located. 
  3.15     (b) These recommendations, and draft legislation if 
  3.16  appropriate, must be presented to the legislature by January 15, 
  3.17  2000. 
  3.18     Sec. 5.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  3.19     Sections 1 to 3 are effective January 1, 2001.