Professional licensing fees; establishing license fees. Effective date.
Summary
SB1732 revises several professional licensing fee provisions administered by the Construction Industries Board and related statutes. The bill increases certain fees under the Home Inspection Licensing Act, including raising the reciprocity licensure fee, license fee, and renewal fee. It also sets or updates fee amounts for a range of Construction Industries Board licenses and permits, including contractor licenses, journeyman licenses, apprentice registrations, alarm endorsements, code inspector licenses, and poultry house contractor licenses.
The bill also makes conforming and technical changes to the poultry house contractor licensing statute. It updates statutory references and language to align that section with the Electrical License Act, while preserving the special licensing category for contractors who perform poultry house premise wiring for environmentally controlled poultry house systems. The measure keeps in place application requirements such as proof of lawful presence, insurance, workers’ compensation coverage, tax compliance, and disclosure requirements, and it continues the Board’s authority to suspend or refuse licensure for specified deficiencies.
Impact
SB1732 amends Title 59 provisions governing home inspection fees, Construction Industries Board fee authority, and poultry house contractor licensing. Its practical effect is to authorize higher licensing and renewal charges in several categories and to codify specific fee amounts for certain licenses and permits, while preserving the Board’s rulemaking authority within statutory fee ranges. It also updates the poultry house contractor licensing framework by conforming terminology, clarifying cross-references, and maintaining the Board’s enforcement and suspension powers over that license category. The act is set to take effect July 1, 2028.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill was generally well received and moved with limited opposition. It passed the Senate Business & Insurance Committee unanimously on an amended committee substitute, then cleared Senate third reading with a strong majority. In the House, it passed the Appropriations and Budget General Government Subcommittee and the full Appropriations and Budget Committee with only one dissenting vote in each recorded committee vote. The committee transcript reflects little to no debate at the subcommittee stage, indicating broad procedural support.
Contention
The main substantive issue is the increase in professional licensing fees, which affects home inspectors, contractors, and other licensees regulated by the Construction Industries Board. Fee increases can draw concern from affected industries about higher costs of entry and renewal, while supporters may view them as necessary to cover regulatory and inspection costs. The poultry house contractor provisions could also be a point of interest for electrical contractors and agricultural businesses because the bill preserves a specialized licensing category and clarifies that it does not limit unlimited electrical contractors from doing that work. No major controversy is evident in the recorded committee discussion, but the fee increases themselves are the most likely source of any opposition.