HOUSE LABOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

HOUSE BILL 652

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2011

AN ACT

RELATING TO THE PUBLIC PEACE, HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE; ENACTING THE EMERGENCY GAS PILOT RELIGHTING ACT.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.--This act may be cited at the "Emergency Gas Pilot Relighting Act".

     SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Emergency Gas Pilot Relighting Act:

          A. "gas pilot relighting technician" means an individual who has successfully completed a program pursuant to Section 3 of the Emergency Gas Pilot Relighting Act;

          B. "natural gas" means any combustible vapor composed chiefly of hydrocarbons occurring naturally; and

          C. "program" means a program for training and certifying persons to relight pilot lights for residential equipment and appliances pursuant to Section 3 of the Emergency Gas Pilot Relighting Act.

     SECTION 3. CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.--The higher education department and the regulation and licensing department shall recommend to appropriate institutions of higher learning a program for training and certifying individuals to relight pilot lights for residential equipment and appliances. Upon satisfactory completion of such a program, an individual shall be certified as a gas pilot relighting technician and be issued a certificate attesting to the person's completion of the program, which certificate shall expire after five years. The regulation and licensing department shall adopt rules specifying the content of the training program, requirements for successful completion of the program and the process for certification of an individual as a gas pilot relighting technician.

     SECTION 4. DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY OR DISASTER--EMPLOYMENT OF GAS PILOT RELIGHTING TECHNICIANS--REIMBURSEMENT.--

          A. Upon a declaration by the governor of an emergency or disaster, a person certified as a journeyman plumber or journeyman gas fitter pursuant to the Construction Industries Licensing Act may employ no more than five gas pilot relighting technicians during the period of the declared emergency or disaster.

          B. A gas pilot relighting technician employed by a journeyman plumber or journeyman gas fitter pursuant to Subsection A of this section shall be an employee of the journeyman plumber or journeyman gas fitter and shall be covered by liability insurance provided by the journeyman plumber or journeyman gas fitter.

          C. The duties of a gas pilot relighting technician employed by a journeyman plumber or journeyman gas fitter pursuant to Subsection A of this section shall be limited to work directly related to the relighting of pilot lights for residential equipment and appliances serving residences with not more than four dwelling units.

          D. If authorized in the declaration of emergency or disaster issued by the governor and subject to funds being made available pursuant to such a declaration, the secretary of homeland security and emergency management may adopt rules permitting state funds to be used to pay the cost of journeyman plumbers, journeyman gas fitters or gas pilot relighting technicians for services rendered during the declared period of the emergency or disaster to restore natural gas service to residences within the area covered by the declaration of emergency or disaster.

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