The proposed legislation establishes the Code Enforcement Licensing Board, which consolidates the responsibilities of several existing boards, including the Board of Electrical Examiners, HVACR Licensing Board, and others, which will be abolished. The new board will inherit their duties, functions, records, and resources, while ensuring that existing orders and standards remain effective until amended. The bill also introduces a new fund, the Code Enforcement Licensing Board Fund, to manage revenues from licensing and penalties. Key amendments include the repeal of the definition of "air conditioning electrician," changes to the requirements for maintaining parking lot lights, and an increase in the allowable distance for running line voltage power wiring for HVACR units without an electrician's license from ten feet to seventy-five feet.

Additionally, the bill updates the licensing framework for electricians and HVACR workers, introducing new classifications and modifying existing ones, such as the elimination of the Class C license and the introduction of a "specialist sign electrician with parking lot endorsement." It also revises the renewal period for licenses from two or three years to one year and establishes new procedures for license renewal and reinstatement. The enforcement capabilities of the Department of Labor and Licensing are enhanced, allowing for inspections and compliance checks, while penalties for violations are increased to a maximum of $1,000 per day. Overall, the legislation aims to streamline the licensing process, enhance regulatory oversight, and ensure compliance with safety standards in the electrical and HVACR sectors in Arkansas.

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)