1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to occupations and professions; defining certain terms related to sign 
1.3 	installation; setting standards for sign installers;amending Minnesota Statutes 
1.4 	2006, sections 326.01, by adding subdivisions; 326.242, subdivisions 3c, 5, 6a, 
1.5 	6b, 6c, 7, 8, by adding a subdivision.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 326.01, is amended by adding a 
1.8 	subdivision to read:
1.9 		Subd. 6n.Electric sign and outline lighting. "Electric sign and outline lighting" 
1.10 	means electrically illuminated utilization equipment with words or symbols designed 
1.11 	to convey information, or light sources intended to call or attract attention to objects, 
1.12 	consisting of a single assembly, or two or more subassemblies, listed and labeled by 
1.13 	a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL); and skeleton tubing installations 
1.14 	consisting of a transformer or power supply listed by a Nationally Recognized Testing 
1.15 	Laboratory and its connected neon tubing.

1.16 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 326.01, is amended by adding a subdivision 
1.17 	to read:
1.18 		Subd. 6o.Sign installer. "Sign installer" means a person having the necessary 
1.19 	qualifications, training, experience, and technical knowledge to install, alter, repair, plan, 
1.20 	lay out, and supervise the installing, altering, and repairing of electrical wiring, apparatus, 
1.21 	and equipment for electric signs and outline lighting who is licensed as a sign installer 
1.22 	by the Department of Labor and Industry.

1.23 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 326.242, subdivision 3c, is amended to read:
2.1 		Subd. 3c.Bond. Every Class A and Class B installer, as a condition of licensure, 
2.2 	shall give bond to the state in the sum of $1,000 conditioned upon the faithful and lawful 
2.3 	performance of all work contracted for or entered upon by the installer within the state of 
2.4 	Minnesota, and such bond shall be for the benefit of persons injured or suffering financial 
2.5 	loss by reason of failure of such performance. Such bond shall be in lieu of all other 
2.6 	license bonds to any political subdivision of the state. Such bond shall be written by a 
2.7 	corporate surety licensed to do business in the state of Minnesota.

2.8 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 326.242, is amended by adding a subdivision 
2.9 	to read:
2.10 		Subd. 3e.Sign installer. (a) Except as otherwise provided by law, no person shall 
2.11 	install, alter, repair, plan, lay out, or supervise the installing, altering, or repairing of 
2.12 	electrical wiring, apparatus, or equipment for electric signs and outline lighting unless:
2.13 	(1) the person is licensed by the Department of Labor and Industry as a sign 
2.14 	installer; and
2.15 	(2) the electrical work is for a licensed contractor and the person is an employee, 
2.16 	partner, or officer of, or is the licensed contractor.
2.17 	(b) The installation of circuitry supplying and interconnecting electric sign and 
2.18 	outline lighting assemblies by a sign installer is limited to the following:
2.19 	(1) extension of circuits rated not more than 30 amperes from a sign disconnect or 
2.20 	sign outlet box to electric sign and outline lighting assemblies, transformers, or power 
2.21 	supplies, provided the extension of the branch circuit is not longer than 50 feet; and
2.22 	(2) interconnection of electric sign and outline lighting subassemblies, provided the 
2.23 	interconnection circuits are not longer than 50 feet.
2.24 	(c) An applicant for a sign installer license shall:
2.25 	(1) be a graduate of a four-year electrical course in an accredited college or 
2.26 	university; or
2.27 	(2) have had at least 24 months experience, acceptable to the Department of Labor 
2.28 	and Industry, in planning for, laying out, supervising, and installing wiring, apparatus, or 
2.29 	equipment for electric sign and outline lighting installations, provided that the Department 
2.30 	of Labor and Industry may by rule provide for up to 12 months (2,000 hours) of experience 
2.31 	credit for successful completion of a two-year post high school electrical course or other 
2.32 	technical training approved by the Department of Labor and Industry.
2.33 	(d) All applicants for a sign installer license shall successfully complete a sign 
2.34 	installer training course consisting of not less than 40 hours of classroom instruction 
2.35 	provided or approved by the Department of Labor and Industry.
3.1 	(e) The Department of Labor and Industry may initially set experience requirements 
3.2 	without rulemaking, but must adopt rules before January 1, 2008.
3.3 	(f) Licensees must attain eight hours of continuing education acceptable to the 
3.4 	Department of Labor and Industry every renewal period.

3.5 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 326.242, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
3.6 		Subd. 5.Unlicensed persons. (a) An unlicensed person shall not perform electrical 
3.7 	work unless the work is performed under the personal supervision of a person actually 
3.8 	licensed to perform such work and the licensed electrician and unlicensed persons are 
3.9 	employed by the same employer. Licensed persons shall not permit unlicensed persons 
3.10 	to perform electrical work except under the personal supervision of a person actually 
3.11 	licensed to perform such work. Unlicensed persons shall not supervise the performance 
3.12 	of electrical work or make assignments of electrical work to unlicensed persons. Except 
3.13 	for technology circuit or system work, licensed persons shall supervise no more than 
3.14 	two unlicensed persons. For technology circuit or system work, licensed persons shall 
3.15 	supervise no more than three unlicensed persons.
3.16 	(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, no person other than a 
3.17 	master electrician, sign installer, or power limited technician shall plan or lay out electrical 
3.18 	wiring, apparatus, or equipment for light, heat, power, or other purposes, except circuits or 
3.19 	systems exempted from personal licensing by subdivision 12, paragraph (b).
3.20 	(c) Contractors employing unlicensed persons performing electrical work shall 
3.21 	maintain records establishing compliance with this subdivision, which shall designate all 
3.22 	unlicensed persons performing electrical work, except for persons working on circuits or 
3.23 	systems exempted from personal licensing by subdivision 12, paragraph (b), and shall 
3.24 	permit the board to examine and copy all such records as provided for in section 326.244, 
3.25 	subdivision 6. 

3.26 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 326.242, subdivision 6a, is amended to read:
3.27 		Subd. 6a.Bond required. Each contractor shall give and maintain bond to the state 
3.28 	in the penal sum of $5,000 conditioned upon the faithful and lawful performance of all 
3.29 	work entered upon by the contractor within the state of Minnesota and such bond shall be 
3.30 	for the benefit of persons injured or suffering financial loss by reason of failure of such 
3.31 	performance. The bond shall be filed with the boardDepartment of Labor and Industry 
3.32 	and shall be in lieu of all other license bonds to any political subdivision. Such bond shall 
3.33 	be written by a corporate surety licensed to do business in the state of Minnesota.

4.1 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 326.242, subdivision 6b, is amended to read:
4.2 		Subd. 6b.Insurance required. Each contractor shall have and maintain in effect 
4.3 	general liability insurance, which includes premises and operations insurance and products 
4.4 	and completed operations insurance, with limits of at least $100,000 per occurrence, 
4.5 	$300,000 aggregate limit for bodily injury, and property damage insurance with limits of 
4.6 	at least $25,000 or a policy with a single limit for bodily injury and property damage of 
4.7 	$300,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate limits. Such insurance shall be written 
4.8 	by an insurer licensed to do business in the state of Minnesota and each contractor shall 
4.9 	maintain on file with the boardDepartment of Labor and Industry a certificate evidencing 
4.10 	such insurance which provides that such insurance shall not be canceled without the 
4.11 	insurer first giving 15 days written notice to the boardDepartment of Labor and Industry 
4.12 	of such cancellation.

4.13 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 326.242, subdivision 6c, is amended to read:
4.14 		Subd. 6c.Employment of master electrician, sign installer, or power limited 
4.15 	technician. (a) No contractor shall engage in business of electrical contracting unless 
4.16 	the contractor employs a licensed Class A master or Class B master electrician, sign 
4.17 	installer, or power limited technician, who shall be responsible for the performance of all 
4.18 	electrical work in accordance with the requirements of sections 326.241 to 326.248 or 
4.19 	any rule or order adopted or issued under these sections. The classes of work for which 
4.20 	the licensed contractor is authorized shall be limited to those for which such Class A 
4.21 	master electrician, Class B master electrician, sign installer, or power limited technician 
4.22 	employed by the contractor is licensed. 
4.23 	(b) When a contractor's license is held by an individual, partnership, limited liability 
4.24 	company, or corporation and the individual, one of the partners, one of the members, or 
4.25 	an officer of the corporation, respectively, is not the responsible master electrician, sign 
4.26 	installer, or power limited technician of record, all requests for inspection shall be signed 
4.27 	by the responsible master electrician, sign installer, or power limited technician of record. 
4.28 	The designated responsible master electrician, sign installer, or power limited technician 
4.29 	of record shall be employed by the individual, partnership, limited liability company, or 
4.30 	corporation which is applying for a contractor's license and shall not be employed in any 
4.31 	capacity as a licensed electrician, licensed sign installer, or licensed technician by any 
4.32 	other contractor or employer designated in subdivision 12.
4.33 	(c) All applications for contractor's licenses and all renewals shall include a verified 
4.34 	statement that the applicant or licensee has complied with this subdivision.

5.1 	Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 326.242, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
5.2 		Subd. 7.Examination. In addition to the requirements imposed herein and except 
5.3 	as herein otherwise provided, as a precondition to issuance of a personal license, each 
5.4 	applicant must pass a written or oral examination given by the board to insure the 
5.5 	competence of each applicant for license. An oral examination shall be administered 
5.6 	only to an applicant who furnishes a written statement from a certified teacher or 
5.7 	other professional, trained in the area of reading disabilities stating that the applicant 
5.8 	has a specific reading disability which would prevent the applicant from performing 
5.9 	satisfactorily on a written test. The oral examination shall be structured so that an applicant 
5.10 	who passes the examination will not impair the applicant's own safety or that of others 
5.11 	while acting as a licensed person. No person failing an examination may retake it for six 
5.12 	months thereafter, but within such six months the person may take an examination for a 
5.13 	lesser grade of license. Any licensee failing to renew a license for two years or more after 
5.14 	its expiration shall be required to retake the examination before being issued a new license.
5.15 	An applicant for a personal license shall submit to the boardDepartment of Labor 
5.16 	and Industry an application and examination fee at the time of application. Upon 
5.17 	approval of the application, the boardDepartment of Labor and Industry shall schedule 
5.18 	the applicant for the next available examination, which shall be held within 60 days. The 
5.19 	applicant shall be allowed one opportunity to reschedule an examination without being 
5.20 	required to submit another application and examination fee. Additionally, an applicant 
5.21 	who fails an examination, or whose application has been disapproved, must submit 
5.22 	another application and examination fee.

5.23 	Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 326.242, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
5.24 		Subd. 8.License and renewal fees. All licenses issued hereunder shall expire in a 
5.25 	manner as provided by the board Department of Labor and Industry. Fees, as set by the 
5.26 	board, shall be payable for examination, issuancefor application and examination, and 
5.27 	issuance of original license and renewal of the following are:
5.28 	(1) For each personal license application and examination: $35.
5.29 	Class A Master.
5.30 	Class B Master.
5.31 	Class A Journeyman, Class B Journeyman, Installer, Power Limited Technician, or 
5.32 	Special Electrician.
5.33 	(2) For issuance of original license and renewal:
5.34 	Class A Master.: $40 per year, prorated quarterly;
5.35 	Class B Master.: $25 per year;
6.1 	Power Limited Technician.: $15 per year;
6.2 	Class A Journeyman, Class B Journeyman, Installer, Sign Installer, or Special 
6.3 	Electrician.: $15 per year;
6.4 	Electrical contractor.: $100 per year, prorated quarterly;
6.5 	Technology Systems Contractor: $100 per year, prorated quarterly.
6.6 	(3) An individual or contractor who fails to renew a license before 30 days after the 
6.7 	expiration of the license must submit a late fee equal to one year's license fee in addition 
6.8 	to the full renewal fee. Fees for renewed licenses are not prorated. An individual or 
6.9 	contractor that fails to renew a license by the expiration date is unlicensed until the 
6.10 	license is renewed.