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 new framework that specifies allowable hiring ratios, including a defined ratio of 3 journeypersons to 1 apprentice. Additionally, licensed contractors can apply for a ratio relief application to hire more apprentices than the established ratios allow, contingent upon meeting certain criteria, including providing information about their workforce and any disciplinary actions.

The bill also introduces new provisions for the application process for licensed contractors seeking ratio relief, particularly if they employ more than eight journeypersons and have faced enforcement actions from the Labor Department in the past three years. In such cases, their applications will be referred to the appropriate examining board. The Commissioner is authorized to amend regulations to implement these provisions, and by February 1, 2026, each examining board must establish criteria for approving ratio relief applications, which will consider prior enforcement actions. Decisions on these applications must be made within ninety days and will be final, with the criteria publicly posted on the Department of Consumer Protection's website to ensure transparency.

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