The proposed legislation establishes the Code Enforcement Licensing Board, which consolidates the responsibilities of several existing boards, including the Board of Electrical Examiners and the HVACR Licensing Board, among others. These boards will be abolished, and their duties, functions, records, and resources will be transferred to the new board. The bill includes provisions to maintain existing orders and standards from the abolished boards until they are amended or repealed. It also introduces amendments to existing laws, such as changing the definition of electrical work and adjusting licensing requirements, including the elimination of the "air conditioning electrician" category and the introduction of new classifications for residential electricians.

Additionally, the bill outlines the powers and duties of the Code Enforcement Licensing Board, including the administration of licensing for electricians, HVACR workers, plumbers, and elevator safety. It establishes a new fund, the Code Enforcement Licensing Board Fund, to manage fees and resources for these services. The legislation aims to streamline the regulatory framework, enhance compliance and enforcement mechanisms, and improve public safety standards across various trades in Arkansas. An emergency clause is included to expedite the implementation of these changes, making the act effective on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
SB 493: 17-28-101(1), 17-28-101(12), 17-28-102(c), 17-28-103, 17-28-201, 17-30-101, 25-16-901, 17-28-202, 17-55-101, 20-31-101, 17-28-203(a), 17-28-204, 25-15-201, 17-28-301, 17-28-203, 17-28-311, 17-28-101, 17-28-302, 17-28-303, 17-28-305(b), 17-28-306, 17-28-307(a), 17-28-308, 17-28-309, 17-3-102, 17-28-310, 17-28-312(b), 17-33-101(8), 17-33-101(16), 17-33-103(b), 17-33-105(a), 17-33-201(a), 17-33-202, 17-33-203, 17-33-204, 17-33-205, 17-33-302(a), 17-33-303, 17-33-101, 17-33-304, 17-33-305, 17-33-306, 17-33-307, 17-33-308(c), 17-38-101(3), 17-38-101(4), 17-38-102(b), 17-38-102(d), 17-38-102(e), 17-38-103(a), 17-38-104(a), 17-38-105(4), 17-38-201, 17-38-202, 17-38-203(a), 17-38-204(a), 17-38-204(f), 17-38-204(h), 17-38-205, 19-6-417, 17-38-301(a), 17-38-302(4), 17-38-303, 17-38-304, 17-38-305, 17-38-306, 17-38-307, 17-38-308, 17-38-309, 17-38-310, 17-38-311, 17-38-402(2), 17-40-103(a), 20-31-104, 17-55-103, 17-55-104, 17-55-105(b), 17-55-106, 19-5-1242, 20-22-601, 19-6-301(25), 19-6-301(72), 19-6-301, 17-33-201, 19-6-301(64), 17-38-204, 17-38-101, 19-6-469, 20-22-602(1), 20-22-602(6), 20-22-603(5), 20-22-604(a), 20-22-605(a), 20-22-606, 20-22-607, 20-22-608, 20-22-609(8), 20-22-610(a), 20-22-610(b), 20-22-611(a), 20-22-612, 20-22-613(a), 20-23-101(3), 20-23-101, 20-23-103, 20-23-104, 20-23-105, 20-23-202, 20-23-203(c), 20-23-301, 20-23-203, 20-23-306, 20-23-310, 20-23-401, 20-23-402, 20-23-302, 20-23-304, 20-23-305, 20-23-203(a), 20-23-307, 20-23-308, 20-23-311, 20-23-312, 20-23-314, 20-23-401(a), 20-23-401(f), 20-23-404, 20-23-405, 20-23-309, 20-23-406, 20-23-407, 20-24-101(2), 20-24-101(11), 20-24-103, 20-24-104, 20-24-116, 20-24-105, 20-24-106(a), 20-24-107(a), 20-24-108(a), 20-24-109, 20-24-108, 20-24-115(d), 20-24-110(c), 20-24-111, 20-24-112(a), 20-24-113(a), 20-24-114, 20-24-115(a), 20-24-116(c), 20-24-119(a), 20-31-104(a), 20-31-104(f), 20-31-105(c), 25-15-104(a), 25-16-903(17), 25-16-903(22), 25-16-903(25), 25-16-903(51), 25-16-903(54), 25-43-802(a), 25-43-1102(a)