HB373 Summary

• Renames the Plumbers Examining Board to the State of Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board and expands its authority to regulate plumbers, gas fitters, and medical gas piping fitters statewide.

• Requires apprentices, journeymen, and masters to possess current annual certificates available for inspection; establishes inactive status for certified individuals not actively engaged in the profession.

• Authorizes the board to expend funds for public awareness, establish reciprocal agreements with other states, levy civil fines up to $2,000 per violation, and require disciplinary training for certificate holders.

• Creates a special revenue fund for board operations and directs surplus funds exceeding 25% of the annual budget to the Alabama Home Builders Foundation for plumbing and gas fitting educational programs.

• Repeals temporary certificate and bonding requirements, adds confidentiality protections for board records and investigative files, and reclassifies violations from Class B to Class A misdemeanors.