Bill Text: CT SB00863 | 2011 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: An Act Concerning The Licensing Of Swimming Pool Installers, Electronic Notice Of Proposed Agency Regulations And Minor And Technical Changes To Department Of Consumer Protection Statutes.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-1)
Status: (Passed) 2011-07-08 - Signed by the Governor [SB00863 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2011-SB00863-Introduced.html
General Assembly |
Raised Bill No. 863 | ||
January Session, 2011 |
LCO No. 2693 | ||
*02693_______GL_* | |||
Referred to Committee on General Law |
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Introduced by: |
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(GL ) |
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AN ACT CONCERNING THE LICENSING OF SWIMMING POOL INSTALLERS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) As used in this section, "swimming pool" means any in-ground structure intended for swimming.
(b) On or after the adoption of regulations required pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, no person shall install a swimming pool unless such person holds a swimming pool builder's license issued by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection.
(c) Not later than July 1, 2012, the Commissioner of Consumer Protection shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 of the general statutes, to implement the provisions of this section, including establishing the amount and type of experience, training and examination requirements for a person to obtain a swimming pool builder's license.
(d) Any person who installs a swimming pool on residential property owned by such person shall be exempt from the provisions of this section.
(e) The holder of a swimming pool builder's license issued pursuant to this section shall comply with the provisions of chapter 400 of the general statutes regarding registration as a home improvement contractor.
(f) A person licensed as a swimming pool builder pursuant to this section shall not perform electrical work, plumbing and piping work or heating, piping and cooling work, as defined in section 20-330 of the general statutes, unless such person is licensed to perform such work pursuant to chapter 393 of the general statutes.
(g) The fee for a swimming pool builder's license shall be one hundred fifty dollars. Licenses shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of issuance.
Sec. 2. Section 20-341 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2012):
(a) Any person who wilfully engages in or practices the work or occupation for which a license is required by this chapter or by section 1 of this act without having first obtained an apprentice permit or a certificate and license for such work, as applicable, or who wilfully employs or supplies for employment a person who does not have a certificate and license for such work, or who wilfully and falsely pretends to qualify to engage in or practice such work or occupation, or who wilfully engages in or practices any of the work or occupations for which a license is required by this chapter after the expiration of such person's license, shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor, provided no criminal charges shall be instituted against such person pursuant to this subsection unless the work activity in question is reviewed by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection, or the commissioner's authorized agent, and the commissioner or such agent specifically determines, in writing, that such work activity requires a license and is not the subject of a bona fide dispute between persons engaged in any trade or craft, whether licensed or unlicensed. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (d) or (e) of section 53a-29 and subsection (d) of section 54-56e, if the court determines that such person cannot fully repay any victims of such person within the period of probation established in subsection (d) or (e) of section 53a-29 or subsection (d) of section 54-56e, the court may impose probation for a period of not more than five years. The penalty provided in this subsection shall be in addition to any other penalties and remedies available under this chapter or chapter 416.
(b) The appropriate examining board or the Commissioner of Consumer Protection may, after notice and hearing, impose a civil penalty on any person who engages in or practices the work or occupation for which a license or apprentice registration certificate is required by this chapter, section 1 of this act, chapter 394 or chapter 482 without having first obtained such a license or certificate, or who wilfully employs or supplies for employment a person who does not have such a license or certificate or who wilfully and falsely pretends to qualify to engage in or practice such work or occupation, or who engages in or practices any of the work or occupations for which a license or certificate is required by this chapter, section 1 of this act, chapter 394 or chapter 482 after the expiration of the license or certificate or who violates any of the provisions of this chapter, section 1 of this act, chapter 394 or chapter 482 or the regulations adopted pursuant thereto. Such penalty shall be in an amount not more than one thousand dollars for a first violation of this subsection, not more than one thousand five hundred dollars for a second violation of this subsection and not more than three thousand dollars for each violation of this subsection occurring less than three years after a second or subsequent violation of this subsection, except that any individual employed as an apprentice but improperly registered shall not be penalized for a first offense.
(c) If an examining board or the Commissioner of Consumer Protection imposes a civil penalty under the provisions of subsection (b) of this section as a result of a violation initially reported by a municipal building official in accordance with subsection (c) of section 29-261, the commissioner shall, not less than sixty days after collecting such civil penalty, remit one-half of the amount collected to such municipality.
(d) A violation of any of the provisions of this chapter or section 1 of this act shall be deemed an unfair or deceptive trade practice under subsection (a) of section 42-110b.
(e) This section shall not apply to any person who (1) holds a license issued under this chapter, section 1 of this act, chapter 394 or chapter 482 and performs work that is incidentally, directly and immediately appropriate to the performance of such person's trade where such work commences at an outlet, receptacle or connection previously installed by a person holding the proper license, or (2) engages in work that does not require a license under this chapter, section 1 of this act, chapter 394 or chapter 482.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: | ||
Section 1 |
from passage |
New section |
Sec. 2 |
July 1, 2012 |
20-341 |
Statement of Purpose:
To establish a swimming pool builder's license.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]