SB2307 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 11260 AAS 21344 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB2307

Introduced 2/7/2025, by Sen. Rachel Ventura

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act
30 ILCS 105/5.1030 new

Creates the Electrician Licensing Act. Provides for regulation of electricians and electrical contractors. Establishes civil penalties for violations of the Act. Provides that performing unlicensed electrical work, when a license is required by the Act, constitutes a business offense for the first violation and a Class A misdemeanor for a second or subsequent violation. Provides for concurrent exercise of powers by home rule units. Creates the Building Trades Licensing Task Force. Sets forth requirements for the composition and the actions of the Task Force. Amends the State Finance Act to add the Electrical Safety Standards Fund. Effective January 1, 2027.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning the regulation of electricians.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Electrician Licensing Act.

Section 5. Purpose and policy. Improper electrical wiring and building construction can adversely affect the well being of the public by causing fires due to short circuits and overloading of protection devices. Faulty wiring is potentially lethal and can cause widespread fires with disastrous consequences to persons and property. To protect the health of the public, it is essential that electrical wiring be installed by contractors who are registered with the state and passed all applicable state standards. To further promote health and safety, it is essential that the State inquire as to the potential benefits of licensing other building trades in consultation with labor and ownership in the construction industry.

Consistent with its duty to safeguard the health of the people of this State, the General Assembly declares that the planning, inspecting, installing, altering, extending, repairing, and maintaining of electrical wiring systems shall be performed by entities demonstrating levels of proven skill. Further, the General Assembly declares that a guide for minimum control of electrical materials and equipment, the design of electrical systems, and the construction and installation methods of electrical systems is essential for the protection of public health. In order to insure proper electrical wiring practice, this Act provides for the licensing of electrical contractors and supervising electricians and for the adoption of the National Electrical Code (NFPA70) as standards by the Department. This Act is therefore declared to be essential to the public interest.

Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Board" means the Illinois State Electrical Licensing Advisory Board.

"Department" means the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation.

"Director" means the Director of the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation.

"Electrical contractor" means a person, firm, or corporation operating a business that undertakes or offers to undertake to plan for, lay out, supervise, or install or to make additions, alterations, maintenance, or repairs in the installation of wiring, apparatus, or equipment for electric light, heat, or power with or without compensation and who is licensed as an electrical contractor by the Department of Professional Regulation. An electrical contractor's license does not of itself qualify its holder to perform the electrical work. The term electrical contractor does not include employees employed by such contractor to do or supervise such work.

"Governmental unit" means a city, village, incorporated town, or county.

"Owner" means a natural person who physically performs electrical work on premises the person owns and actually occupies as a single family residence or owns as a single family residence upon completion of construction.

"Supervising Electrician" means an individual not less than twenty-one years of age with at least three years of experience in the installation, alteration, repair, and maintenance of electrical wires, equipment, and apparatus, or an experience equivalent thereto and having passed an exam provided by the Department that sufficiently indicates the individual has knowledge and technical training to perform the work or to supervise the installation, alteration, repair and maintenance of electrical wires, equipment, and apparatus.

Section 15. Electrical Licensing Advisory Board.

(a) There is created the Electrical Licensing Advisory Board that shall exercise its duties provided in this Act under the supervision of the Department. The Board shall consist of an executive director, who serves as an ex officio member, and 11 members appointed by the governor subject to the advice and consent of the Senate. The Board shall be composed of the following members:

(1) one member must be the chief electrical inspector of a municipality with a population of not less than 150,000, according to the most recent federal census, selected from a list of names submitted by a statewide association of municipal governments;

(2) one member must be a building code official of a municipality with a population of less than 150,000, according to the most recent federal census, selected from a list of names submitted by a statewide association of municipal governments;

(3) one member must be a supervising electrician selected from a list of names submitted by the Homebuilders Association of Illinois;

(4) one member must be an electrical contractor selected from a list of names submitted by the Associated Builders & Contractors, Northern Illinois Chapter;

(5) one member must be a supervising electrician selected from a list of names submitted by the Illinois State Association of Electrical Workers of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers;

(6) one member must be an electrical contractor selected from a list of names submitted by the National Electrical Contractors Association, Northeastern Illinois Chapter;

(7) one member must be a training director selected from a list of names submitted by the Illinois State Association of Electrical Workers of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers;

(8) one member must be a training director selected from an Illinois building and contractors association;

(9) one member must be a licensed electrical engineer;

(10) the State Fire Marshal; and

(11) the Director of the Department of Professional Regulation.

Members of the Board shall serve 4 year terms and until their successors are appointed and qualified. The initial appointments, however, shall be as follows: 3 members for terms of 2 years, 3 members for 3 years, and 2 members for 4 years. The State Fire Marshal's service on the Board shall be continuous. Board members shall receive no compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred in connection with their duties as Board members.

(b) The Director shall serve as the presiding officer of the Board.

(c) A majority constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business and Roberts Rules of Order shall be the rules by which the Board's actions shall be conducted.

(d) The Board shall aid the Director and the Department by:

(1) suggesting rules to govern examinations and hearing for suspension, revocation, or reinstatement of licenses;

(2) submitting recommendations to the Director from time to time for the efficient administration of this Act; and

(3) performing other duties from time to time as prescribed by the Director.

Section 20. Powers and duties of the Director.The Director shall:

(a) prepare forms for application for electrical contractor and supervising electrician licenses and for examination for supervising electrician licenses;

(b) prepare and issue licenses as provided in this Act;

(c) with the aid of the Board, prescribe rules for the examination of applicants for supervising electrician licenses;

(d) with the aid of the Board, prepare and give uniform and comprehensive examinations to applicants for supervisory electrician licenses that shall test their knowledge and qualifications in the planning and design of electrical systems, their knowledge, qualifications, and manual skills in electrical installations, and their knowledge of the National Electrical Code relating to materials, design, and installation of methods of electrical systems;

(e) issue electrical contractor and supervising electrician licenses and license renewals to every applicant who has passed the examination and who has paid the required license and renewal fee;

(f) prescribe rules for hearings to deny, suspend, revoke, or reinstate licenses as provided in this Act;

(g) establish and collect fees for the examination, issuance, and renewal of licenses; and

(h) formulate and publish rules necessary or appropriate to carrying out the provisions of this Act.

Section 25. Licenses.

(a) Electrical Contractor. Except as otherwise provided by law, no person shall plan, install, repair, maintain, lay out, or supervise the installation of wiring, apparatus, or equipment for electrical light, heat, power, or other purposes unless the person:

(1) is licensed by the Department as an electrical contractor;

(2) provides the Department a bond to the State in the penal sum of $5,000 conditioned upon the faithful and lawful performance of all work entered into by the electrical contractor within the State of Illinois. The bond shall be for the benefit of persons injured or suffering financial loss by reason of failure of performance. The bond shall be filed with the Department and shall be in lieu of all other license bonds to any political subdivision. The bond shall be written by a corporate surety licensed to do business in the State of Illinois;

(3) files with the Department a certificate evidencing in effect general liability insurance, that includes premises and operations insurance and products and completed operations insurance, with limits of at least $100,000 per occurrence, $300,000 aggregate limit for bodily injury, and property damage insurance with limits of at least $25,000 or a policy with a single limit for bodily injury and property damage of $300,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate limits. The insurance shall be written by an insurer licensed to do business in the State of Illinois and shall provide that the insurance shall not be cancelled without the insurer first giving 15 days written notice to the Department of the cancellation; and

(4) has appointed or employed a licensed supervising electrician responsible for the performance of all electrical work in accordance with the requirements of this Act. The application for an electrical contractor's license must include a verified statement that the designated responsible supervising electrician is an individual who is not employed in any capacity as a licensed supervising electrician by any other electrical contractor.

(b) Supervising Electrician. Except as otherwise provided by law, no person shall wire for, plan, install, maintain, lay out, or supervise the installation of wiring, apparatus, or equipment for electric light, heat, or power, unless the person is licensed by the Department as a supervising electrician employed or appointed by a licensed electrical contractor.

An applicant for a supervising electrician's license shall have had at least 2 years of experience, acceptable to the Department, in wiring for, installing, and repairing electrical wiring, apparatus, or equipment. The Department, however, may by rule provide for the allowance of one year of experience credit for successful completion of a 2 year post high school electrical course approved by the Department.

Section 30. Examination. In addition to other requirements imposed by this Act and except as otherwise provided in this Act, as a precondition to issuance of a supervising electrician's license, each applicant must pass a written examination given by the Department. The exam shall test their knowledge and qualifications in the planning and design of electrical systems, their knowledge, qualifications, and manual skills in electrical installations, and their knowledge of the National Electrical Code relating to materials, design, and installation of methods of electrical systems. Any licensee failing to renew his or her license for 2 years or more after its expiration shall be required to retake the examination before he or she is issued a new license.

Section 35. Experience requirements.

(a) Except as otherwise provided for a supervising electrician's license under Section 25, an applicant for a supervising electrician's license shall meet the experience requirements of this Section before examination for licensure.

(b) The maximum allowable credit for electrical experience:

(1) before age 18 is 6 months;

(2) in the military service is 12 months;

(3) in foreign countries is 12 months; and

(4) acquired during the school term of an approved post high school electrical course is 12 months.

(c) Experience in the categories of planning for the installation of wiring, apparatus, and equipment for light, heat, and power; laying out for the installation of wiring, apparatus, and equipment for light, heat, and power; supervising the installation of wiring, apparatus, and equipment for light, heat, and power; and wiring and installation of electrical wiring, apparatus, and equipment for light, heat, and power is acceptable to the Board in the following situations:

(1) experience while in the employ of an electrical contractor licensed under this Act;

(2) experience while working in Illinois for an employer who is not required to be licensed as an electrical contractor, if the work is inspected and done under the supervision of a properly licensed electrician;

(3) experience while performing electrical work in Illinois for an employer who is exempt from licensing when the work is exempt from inspection or when the work is performed on federal property by a federal employee, if the Department has determined in either situation that the experience is substantially equal to that acquired in performing work while in the employ of a licensed electrical contractor;

(4) experience while performing electrical work outside of Illinois, which the Department has determined is substantially equivalent to the work performed while in the employ of a licensed electrical contractor in Illinois. This determination must be based on a certification by the employer for the type of work performed.

Section 40. Military exemption. The Department shall reinstate a supervising electrician license that expires while a licensee is in active Military Service of the United States upon application to the Department by the licensee within 2 years after termination of the military service, payment of the annual license fee, and submission of evidence of the military service. The license shall be reinstated without examination and without payment of the lapsed renewal fee.

Section 45. License and renewal fees.

(a) All licenses issued under this Act shall expire annually in a manner as provided by the Department.

(b) The Department shall provide for fees by rule; however, the fees shall not exceed the following amounts:

(1) the application fee for a license or temporary license, $100;

(2) the fee for renewal of a license, $25;

(3) the fee for reinstatement of a license that has been expired for less than 2 years, $50 plus payment of all unpaid renewal fees;

(4) the fee for restoration of a license that has been expired for more than 2 years, $100;

(5) the fee for issuance of a duplicate license, the issuance of a replacement that has been lost or destroyed, or the issuance of a license with a change of name and address, other than during the renewal period, $25;

(6) the fee for certification of a licensee's record for any purpose, $25;

(7) the fee for rescoring of an examination, the cost to the Department of rescoring the examination plus any fees charged by the applicable testing service to have the examination rescored;

(8) the fee for copies of a license, the actual cost of producing the copies;

(9) the fee for a roster of supervising electricians, the actual cost of producing the roster;

(10) the fee for application for a license by an electrician registered or licensed under the laws of another state, $100.

Section 50. Unlicensed practice; civil penalty.

(a) Any person who practices, offers to practice, attempts to practice, or holds oneself out to practice as an electrical contractor or supervising electrician without being licensed under this Act shall, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, pay a civil penalty to the Department in an amount not to exceed $25,000 for each offense as determined by the Department. The civil penalty shall be assessed by Director after a hearing is held in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Act regarding the provision of a hearing for the discipline of a license.

(b) The Department has the authority and power to investigate any and all unlicensed activity.

(c) The civil penalty shall be paid within 60 days after the effective date of the order imposing the civil penalty. The order shall constitute a judgment and may be filed and execution had thereon in the same manner from any court of record.

(d) The commission of a single act prohibited by this Act or prohibited by the rules promulgated under this Act or a violation of a disciplinary order issued under this Act constitutes a violation of this Act.

Section 55. Denial, suspension, and revocation of licenses. The Department may by order refuse to issue or renew a license, may place on probation, suspend, or revoke any license, or may censure, reprimand, or otherwise discipline or impose a civil penalty not to exceed $25,000 upon any licensee hereunder for one or any combination of the following:

(a) when the applicant or licensee has, by false or fraudulent representation, obtained or sought to obtain a license;

(b) when the applicant or licensee has been convicted of any crime, an essential element of which is dishonesty or fraud or larceny, embezzlement, or obtaining money, property, or credit by false pretenses or by means of a confidence game, has been convicted in this or another state of a crime that is a felony under the laws of this State or has been convicted of a felony in a federal court.

The Department may adopt rules further specifying and defining actions and omissions that constitute fraudulent, deceptive, or dishonest practices, and establishing standards of conduct for licensees.

Section 60. Grounds for suspension of license. The Department may temporarily suspend a license and call for a hearing when findings show one or more of the following:

(a) That the licensee obtained or conspired with others to obtain a license by inducing the issuance of the license in consideration of the payment of money or delivery of any other thing of value or by and through misrepresentation of facts.

(b) That the licensee knowingly and willfully violated any law of this State or any rules, regulation, or code regulating electrical wiring installations, or licensed electricians.

(c) That the licensee has been found guilty in a court of law of negligence or incompetence in the performance of installation of electrical wiring and the Department after a hearing determines that the licensee poses a danger to the public safety.

(d) That the licensee has loaned or in any manner transferred his or her license to another person. If a license is suspended or revoked, the license shall be surrendered to the Department but it shall be returned to the licensee upon the termination of the suspension period.

Section 65. Continuation of business by estates. Upon the death of a supervising electrician who is an electrical contractor, the Department may permit the decedent's representative to carry on the business of the decedent for a period not in excess of 6 months, for the purpose of completing work under contract or otherwise to comply with this Act. The decedent's representative may petition the Board for an extension of the 6 month period in the event he or she can demonstrate undue hardship or other special circumstances. The extension may be granted at the recommendation of the Board, subject to Department approval. The representative shall give any bond as the Department may require conditioned upon the faithful and lawful performance of the work. The bond shall be for the benefit of persons injured or suffering financial loss by reason of failure of performance. The bond shall be written by a corporate surety licensed to do business in the State of Illinois. The decedent's representative shall also comply with all public liability and property damage insurance requirements imposed by this Act upon a licensed electrical contractor.

Section 70. Exemptions from licensing.

(a) Employees of, or independent contractors performing work for, any electric utility or electric utility affiliate, or communications or railway utility or any electric system owned and operated by a governmental unit (notwithstanding any other provision of this Act), electric cooperative as defined in Section 3.4 of the Electric Supplier Act, telephone or telecommunications cooperative as defined in Section 13-212 of the Public Utilities Act, or a telephone company shall not be required to hold a license under any of the following conditions:

(1) While performing work on installations, materials, or equipment that are owned or leased, operated, and maintained by the electric utility or electric utility affiliate, communications or railway utility, electric system owned and operated by a municipal corporation or unit of local government, electric, telephone, or telecommunications cooperative, or telephone company in the exercise of its utility or telephone function, and that (i) are used exclusively for the generation, transformation, distribution, transmission, or metering of electric current, or the operation of railway signals, or the transmission of intelligence and do not have as a principal function the consumption or use of electric current by or for the benefit of any person other than the electric utility or electric utility affiliate, communications or railway utility, electric system owned and operated by a municipal corporation or unit of local government, electric, telephone, or telecommunications cooperative, or telephone company and (ii) are generally accessible only to employees of the electric utility or electric utility affiliate, communications or railway utility, electric system owned and operated by a municipal corporation or unit of local government, electric, telephone, or telecommunications cooperative, or telephone company or persons acting under its control or direction.

(2) While performing work on installations, materials, or equipment that are a part of the street lighting operations of the utility.

(3) While installing or performing work on outdoor area lights that are directly connected to a utility's distribution system and located upon the utility's distribution poles, and are generally accessible only to employees of the utility or persons acting under its control or direction.

(b) Any city, village, or incorporated town having a population of 500,000 or more may, by an ordinance containing provisions substantially the same as those in this Act and specifying educational or experience requirements equivalent to those prescribed in the Act, provide for a board of electrical examiners to conduct examinations for, and to issue, suspend, or revoke, electricians' licenses within the city, village, or incorporated town. Upon the enactment of such an ordinance, the provisions of this Act shall not apply within that municipality except as otherwise provided in this Act. Any person licensed as an electrical contractor by the Department under this Act, may engage in electrical wiring installation anywhere in this State.

(c) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prevent the practice of architecture as defined in the Illinois Architecture Practice Act of 1989 or the practice of professional engineering as defined in the Professional Engineering Practice Act of 1989 or the practice of structural engineering as defined in the Structural Engineering Licensing Act of 1989.

(d) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prevent an owner or operator of a farm or his or her employees from installing, making additions to, altering, maintaining, or repairing wiring, apparatus, or equipment for electric light, heat, or power on the farm that he or she owns or operates. For purposes of this subsection, "farm" means land or a building appurtenant to land that is used for an agricultural purpose or for a purpose accessory to an agriculture purpose.

(e) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to restrict the activities of an employee of a manufacturing corporation to engage in activities incidental to operation or maintenance of its existing business and facilities; however, provisions of this Act do apply to new construction that results in the expansion of the existing business or facilities of a manufacturing corporation.

Section 75. Display of license. Persons who advertise electrical wiring services shall, at their place of business, display the electrical contractor license and shall identify the licensed supervising electrician(s) currently employed by them. When advertising electrical wiring services, the electrical contractor license number shall be included in all forms of written or printed advertising and included on all contractor vehicles.

Section 80. Safety standards. All electrical wiring, apparatus, and equipment for electric light, heat, and power shall comply with the rules of the Department, as applicable, and be installed in conformity with accepted standards of construction for safety to life and property.

For the purposes of this Act, the regulations and safety standards stated at the time the work is done in the then most recently published edition of the National Electrical Code as adopted by the National Fire Protection Association, Inc. and approved by the American National Standards Institute, and the National Electrical Safety Code as published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. and approved by the American National Standards Institute, shall be prima facie evidence of accepted standards of construction for safety to life and property. Nothing in this Act shall prohibit any political subdivision from making and enforcing more stringent requirements than set forth in this Act and those requirements shall be complied with by all licensed electricians working within the jurisdiction of that political subdivision; except that nothing in this Act shall be construed to give a political subdivision the authority to apply those standards or requirements to electrical work performed on a farm.

Section 85. Local Inspections. Any political subdivision may make provision for inspection of electrical installations within its jurisdiction, in which case it shall keep on file with the Department copies of its current inspection ordinances and codes. Any political subdivision may require any individual, partnership, corporation, or other business association holding a license from the Department to pay any license, registration fee, or permit fees provided however, that any political subdivision may provide by ordinance a requirement that each individual, partnership, corporation, or other business association doing electrical work within the jurisdiction of the political subdivision have on file with the political subdivision a copy of the current license issued by the Department or other evidence of the license as may be provided by the Department.

Section 90. Order of suspension. An order of suspension, revocation, or reinstatement of a license, or of dismissal of a complaint or petition, or a certified copy of an order, over the seal of the Department and purporting to be signed by the Director, shall be prima facie proof that:

(1) the signature is the genuine signature of the Director; and

(2) the Director is duly appointed and qualified.

Section 95. Manufacturing of electrical apparatus; exemption. Electrical components, apparatus, or appliances being manufactured within the limits of property that is owned or leased by a manufacturer and the manufacturer's production employees shall not be covered by this Act. Installation or repair of electrical appliance units, except (i) electrical wiring to the unit, or (ii) original wiring in or on the unit installed outside the limits of property that is owned or leased by a manufacturer shall not be covered by this Act.

Section 100. Violations.

(a) Any person violating Section 25 of this Act shall be guilty of a business offense and fined a minimum of $100 for the first offense. A second or subsequent violation of Section 25 of this Act shall be a Class A misdemeanor with a minimum fine of $200. The State's Attorney of the County in which the violation occurred or the Attorney General shall prosecute these actions in the name of the People of the State of Illinois.

(b) If it is established that the defendant, contrary to this Act, has been engaging, is engaging, or is about to engage in electrical work without having been issued a license, or has been engaging or is about to engage in electrical work after his or her license has been suspended or revoked or after his or her license has not been renewed, the Court may enter a decree enjoining the defendant from further engaging in electrical work contrary to this Act. In case of a violation of any injunction issued under this Section, the Court may summarily try and punish the offender for contempt of court. Injunction proceedings shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, all penalties and other remedies in this Act.

Section 105. Electricians practicing before this Act. Electrical contractors who are in the business on January 1, 2027 and who file a license application with the Department within 180 days after the effective date of this Act shall be granted a license that shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance. These licenses shall be subject to annual renewal as provided in this Act.

Persons who have 2 years experience as provided in Section 25 of this Act in performing electrical work on or after July 1, 2027 or who have successfully completed an examination for a similar license provided by a governmental unit, and who file a license application with the Department within 180 days after July 1, 2027 shall be granted a supervising electrician's license that shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance. These licenses shall be subject to annual renewal as provided in this Act.

Section 120. Administrative Procedure Act; application. The provisions of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act are expressly adopted and shall apply to all administrative rules and procedures of the Department under this Act, except that Section 5 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act relating to procedures for rulemaking does not apply to the adoption of any rule required by federal law in connection with which the Department is precluded by law from exercising any discretion.

Section 125. Review under Administrative Review Law. All final administrative decisions of the Director under this Act shall be subject to judicial review under the Administrative Review Law and its rules.

Section 130. Home rule. A home rule unit may not regulate the licensing of electricians and electrical contractors in a manner inconsistent with the regulation by the State of electricians and electrical contractors. This Section is a limitation under subsection (i) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution on the concurrent exercise by home rule units of powers and functions exercised by the State.

Section 135. Electrical Safety Standards Fund. The Electrical Safety Standards Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. All fees and fines collected under this Act shall be deposited into the Fund. All money in the Electrical Safety Standards Fund may be used, subject to appropriation, by the Department for the administration of this Act.

Section 140. Time limit on action. No action may be taken by the Department against any person for violation of the terms of this Act or its rules unless the action is commenced within 5 years after the occurrence of the alleged violation.

Section 145. Building Trades Licensing Task Force.

(a) The Building Trades Licensing Task Force is created within the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. The purpose of the Task Force is to review and study the necessity and feasibility of establishing licensing programs for workers involved in the construction industry who are not currently required to be licensed in this State.

(b) As used in this Section, "construction industry" means any constructing, altering, reconstructing, repairing, rehabilitating, refinishing, refurbishing, remodeling, remediating, renovating, custom fabricating, maintenance, landscaping, improving, wrecking, painting, decorating, demolishing, and adding to or subtracting from any building, structure, highway, roadway, street, bridge, alley, sewer, ditch, sewage disposal plant, water works, parking facility, railroad, excavation or other structure, project, development, real property or improvement, or the performance of any part of that work, whether or not the performance of the work involves the addition to or the fabrication into any structure, project, development, real property or improvement described in this Section of any material or article of merchandise.

(c) The Task Force shall consist of the following members:

(1) one member of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate;

(2) one member of the Senate appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

(3) one member of the House appointed by the Speaker of the House;

(4) one member of the House appointed by the Minority Leader of the House;

(5) one member appointed by the Governor;

(6) one member representing the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation appointed by the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation;

(7) three members representing management in the construction industry appointed by the Governor;

(8) three members representing unions that have members who perform work in the construction industry appointed by the Governor;

(9) one member representing the interests of State municipalities appointed by the Governor;

(10) one member representing the interests of State counties appointed by the Governor; and

(11) one member appointed by the Governor, who shall be designated the chairperson of the Task Force by the Governor.

(d) All appointments to the Task Force shall be made within 60 days after the effective date of this Act.

(e) Vacancies in the Task Force shall be filled by the initial appointing authority within 30 days after the vacancy occurs.

(f) The members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation.

(g) The Task Force shall receive the assistance of legislative staff. The Task Force may employ skilled experts with the approval of the chairperson, and shall receive the cooperation of those State agencies it deems appropriate to assist the Task Force in carrying out its duties.

(h) The members of the Task Force shall have voting rights. A quorum of the Task Force shall consist of a simple majority of the members of the Task Force. All actions and recommendations of the Task Force must be approved by a simple majority vote of the members.

(i) The Task Force shall meet initially at the call of the Governor no later than 90 days after the effective date of this Act, and shall thereafter meet at the call of the chairperson.

(j) The Office of the Governor shall provide administrative and other support to the Task Force.

(k) The Task Force shall:

(1) discuss whether State residents would benefit from legislation requiring workers in trades associated with the construction industry to obtain a statewide license from the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation;

(2) if it is determined that licensure for a particular trade associated with the construction industry is beneficial, determine:

(A) the requirements applicants must meet to qualify for a license;

(B) the grounds for denial or revocation of a license; and

(C) any other considerations relevant to a licensing requirement; and

(3) make recommendations to the General Assembly.

(l) No later than January 1, 2028, the Task Force shall summarize its findings and recommendations in a report to the General Assembly. Upon filing its report, the Task Force is dissolved.

(m) This Section is repealed on January 1, 2029.

Section 150. The State Finance Act is amended by adding Section 5.1030 as follows:

(30 ILCS 105/5.1030 new)

Sec. 5.1030. The Electrical Safety Standards Fund.

Section 999. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2027.