Senate Bill No. 1465, also known as Public Act No. 25-47, amends Section 20-332b of the general statutes to empower the Commissioner of Consumer Protection to set specific hiring ratios for apprentices and journeypersons in skilled trades, such as electrical, plumbing, heating, and cooling. The bill replaces the term "journeymen" with "journeypersons" and establishes a new hiring ratio of three journeypersons for every one apprentice. It also allows licensed contractors to hire more apprentices than the established ratio under certain conditions, which include submitting a ratio relief application to the Department of Consumer Protection.

The application process for hiring additional apprentices requires contractors to provide detailed information, including their contact details, current apprentices, and any disciplinary actions taken against them in the past three years. If a contractor employs no more than eight journeypersons and meets specific criteria, the Commissioner may approve their application for additional apprentices. The bill also introduces provisions for the application process, stating that if the Labor Department has taken enforcement action against a contractor within the last three years, or if the contractor does not meet certain criteria, the application will be referred to the appropriate examining board. By February 1, 2026, each examining board must establish criteria for approving ratio relief applications, which will be publicly posted and reviewed annually. The boards are required to make decisions on referred applications within ninety days, with the outcomes being final and exempt from certain statutory provisions.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 20-332b
GL Joint Favorable: 20-332b
File No. 582: 20-332b
Public Act No. 25-47: 20-332b