Bill Text: NJ A5261 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes alternate requirements for certain NJT employees to qualify for electrical contractor's license examination.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-06-15 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Regulated Professions Committee [A5261 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-A5261-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman KENYATTA STEWART
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes alternate requirements for certain NJT employees to qualify for electrical contractor's license examination.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning certain electrical contractor qualifications and amending P.L.1962, c.162.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 9 of P.L.1962, c.162 (C.45:5A-9) is amended to read as follows:
9. (a) On or after July 1, 1963, no person shall advertise, enter into, engage in or work in business as an electrical contractor, unless such person has secured a business permit and such person or an officer, partner or employee who is or will be actively engaged in the business for which a business permit is sought has obtained an electrical contractor's license from the board in accordance with the provisions of this act, and such licensee shall assume full responsibility for inspection and supervision of all electrical work to be performed by the permittee in compliance with recognized safety standards. A licensed electrical contractor shall not be entitled to qualify more than one person for a business permit.
Any single act or transaction shall constitute engaging in the business of electrical contracting within the meaning of this chapter.
(b) No person shall be granted an electrical contractor's license unless [he] the person shall first establish [his] the person's qualifications therefor and shall take and pass the examination for electrical contractors. An applicant for such examination shall have been employed or engaged in the business of electrical construction and installation for a period of not less than five years preceding the time of such application. During the five-year period, the applicant shall spend one year as a Class A journeyman electrician and four years in an electrical apprenticeship program accredited and approved by the United States Department of Labor, with proof of passage and successful completion of this program while actively engaged or employed as a Class A electrical apprentice. For a period of four years following the effective date of P.L.2018, c.155, each year of employment in the electrical trade or enrollment in a formal electrical apprenticeship program completed prior to the effective date of P.L.2018, c.155 [,] shall be accepted by the board in lieu of one year's enrollment in an electrical apprenticeship program accredited and approved by the United States Department of Labor, up to a maximum total credit of four years.
However, an applicant for the examination for a license as an electrical contractor who is employed by the New Jersey Transit Corporation may establish, to the satisfaction of the board, that the applicant has the necessary practical experience to qualify to take the examination without having completed an electrical apprenticeship program accredited and approved by the United States Department of Labor. For this exception to apply, an applicant for the examination who is employed by the New Jersey Transit Corporation shall have been employed or engaged in the business of electrical construction and installation for a period of not less than five years preceding the time of the application. During the five-year period, the applicant who is employed by the New Jersey Transit Corporation shall spend one year as a Class A journeyman electrician and the applicant shall submit to the board, in lieu of proof of passage and successful completion of an electrical apprenticeship program accredited and approved by the United States Department of Labor, proof of the applicant's work performed within the scope of the applicant's employment, and internal training completed through the applicant's employment, with the New Jersey Transit Corporation for four years.
The examination shall be so designed as to establish the competence and qualification of the applicant to perform and supervise the various phases of electrical contracting work. Any applicant who shall fail to pass such examination shall not be eligible to retake an examination until six months from the date of such failure.
(c) An applicant for an examination for a license as an electrical contractor shall apply to the board for permission to take such examination upon forms provided by the board and shall provide the board with such information as shall be necessary to establish [his] the applicant's qualifications to take the examination. The applicant for an initial examination shall pay a fee to the board of [$25.00] $25. An applicant for re-examination shall pay a fee to the board of [$15.00] $15. Such fees shall not be refundable.
(cf: P.L.2021, c.479, s.4)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes alternative qualification requirements for certain New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJT) employees applying to take the examination for a license as an electrical contractor (license examination).
The bill provides that an NJT employee applying to take the license examination (applicant) may establish, to the satisfaction of the Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors (board), that the applicant has the necessary practical experience to qualify to take the license examination without having completed an electrical apprenticeship program accredited and approved by the United States Department of Labor (US DOL) if the applicant meets certain requirements. Specifically, under the bill, an applicant is required to be employed or engaged in the business of electrical construction and installation for a period of not less than five years preceding the time of the license examination application. During the five-year period, the applicant is required to spend one year as a Class A journeyman electrician and submit to the board, in lieu of proof of passage and successful completion of an electrical apprenticeship program accredited and approved by the US DOL, proof of the work performed within the scope of the applicant's employment and internal training with the NJT for four years. The board is to determine if the board is satisfied, based on the proof submitted by the applicant, that the applicant has the necessary practical experience to qualify to take the license examination without having completed an electrical apprenticeship program accredited and approved by the US DOL.
Under current law, to qualify to take the license examination, an individual is required to have been employed or engaged in the business of electrical construction and installation for a period of five years. During the five-year period, the applicant is required to spend one year as a Class A journeyman electrician and four years in an electrical apprenticeship program accredited and approved by the US DOL, with proof of passage and successful completion of this program while actively engaged or employed as a Class A electrical apprentice.
