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, and sheet metal work. The bill replaces the previous requirement for the Commissioner to amend existing regulations with a framework that specifies allowable hiring ratios, including a standard of 3 journeypersons to 1 apprentice. It also introduces provisions allowing licensed contractors to hire additional apprentices beyond these ratios under certain conditions, including the submission of a ratio relief application to the Department of Consumer Protection.

The bill outlines detailed requirements for the ratio relief application, which must include contractor and apprentice information, any disciplinary actions against the contractor, and evidence of operational hardship. If a contractor employs no more than eight journeypersons and has not faced enforcement actions from the Labor Department in the past three years, their application for additional apprentices may be approved. Additionally, the bill mandates that by February 1, 2026, examining boards must establish criteria for determining good cause for these applications, with decisions required within ninety days of referral. The criteria will be publicly posted to ensure transparency, and the Commissioner is authorized to amend regulations to implement these provisions effectively.

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