153:28 Rulemaking. –
I. Notwithstanding RSA 21-G:9, the board, with an affirmative vote of at least 4 of the appointed board members, in consultation with the office of professional licensure and certification and with the approval of the executive director of the office of professional licensure and certification, shall adopt rules, pursuant to under RSA 541-A, necessary for the proper implementation of the licensure requirements established in this subdivision, which shall include the following:
(a) Standards regarding requirements for education or its equivalent, field experience or its equivalent in an approved educational setting, and testing for applicants for initial licensure for the following specialty licenses:
(1) Hearth system installation and service technician.
(2) Fuel gas installation technician; provided that the standards adopted in rules shall require 1,000 hours of field experience, or its equivalent in an approved educational setting, within a 60-month period relevant to the installation, servicing, and repair of gas appliances or equipment and that up to 500 hours of relevant field experience installing, servicing, or repairing heating oil fired appliances or equipment within the 60-month period may be used to meet the required 1,000 hours.
(3) Fuel gas service technician; provided that the standards adopted in rules shall require 2,000 hours of field experience, or its equivalent in an approved educational setting, within a 60-month period relevant to the installation, servicing, and repair of gas appliances, equipment, or gas piping and that up to 750 hours of relevant field experience installing, servicing, or repairing heating oil fired appliances or equipment within the 60-month period may be used to meet the required 2,000 hours.
(4) Fuel gas piping installer; provided that the standards adopted in rules shall require 1,000 hours of field experience, or its equivalent in an approved educational setting, within a 60-month period relevant to the installation of gas piping and that up to 500 hours of relevant field experience installing, servicing, or repairing heating oil fired appliances or equipment within the 60-month period may be used to meet the required 1,000 hours.
(5) Fuel gas trainee.
(6) Domestic appliance technician.
(7) Master plumber.
(8) Journeyman plumber.
(9) Apprentice plumber.
(b) Standards for license renewal and continuing education requirements. Continuing education requirements may be fulfilled in full or in part by training programs approved by the board. The rules shall address the number of hours of continuing education for each specialty license, and education applicable to holders of multiple specialty licenses.
(c) The implementation of reciprocity agreements entered into pursuant to paragraph V.
II. [Repealed.]
III. Notwithstanding RSA 21-G:9, the board, with an affirmative vote of at least 4 of the appointed board members, in consultation with the office of professional licensure and certification and with the approval of the executive director of the office of professional licensure and certification, shall adopt technical standards for fuel gas fitting and plumbing by rule under RSA 541-A. The board shall use applicable codes as adopted by the state of New Hampshire.
IV. The office of professional licensure and certification shall assist and support the board in administering and enforcing the provisions of this subdivision.
V. The board, through the office of professional licensure and certification, may enter into reciprocity agreements which shall permit the licensing of fuel gas fitters and plumbers from states which have a mutual mechanical licensing reciprocity agreement with this state, for all mechanical licenses listed in paragraph I(a) provided the board determines that the requirements for licensure in that state are equivalent to, or greater than, those established by this subdivision.
Source. 2006, 206:3. 2008, 234:1. 2010, 140:2, 3. 2013, 275:7, eff. July 1, 2013. 2014, 269:1, eff. July 1, 2014. 2022, 314:21, 22, eff. July 1, 2022. 2023, 79:303, I, eff. Sept. 1, 2023; 112:5, eff. July 1, 2023; 235:12, eff. Sept. 1, 2023.