Your Voice Matters: Feedback for TDLR's Electricians Program

In March 2014, TDLR asked licensees and the public to share their ideas and experiences related to TDLR. People participated through face-to-face meetings around the state, on an online crowdsourcing website, through social media, and by email.

Participants were asked to answer four questions:

We used people’s responses to help us create our strategic plan.

Below you will find participants’ responses concerning TDLR’s Electricians program.

What does TDLR do well?

  • Attentive people on the phone. Professional once you talk to a live person.
  • Can call direct
  • Communication with emails
  • You've done an excellent job of notifying me when I have a renewal coming up. Good Work!
  • Fast response from TDLR on investigation (pool accident)
  • Good communication
  • Good guide on codes maintaining equivalency on industry
  • Good website information
  • Implemented the plan review process
  • Lower fees
  • Newsletters
  • Online services
  • Public outreach on the local level
  • Open up more license types for electricians.
  • Experience and are more than qualified to take the journeyman's exam. This is due to the state I am from. I can prove my qualifications just by the fact that I am a master licensed electrician. Yet you will not let me even take the test. What this means for you is that no one from NY will come to your state to work and fill the positions you have available. Who is this hurting? me as well as you.
  • I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ALL ELECTRICAL CODE CHANGES (NEW CODES) APPLICABLE TO THE INDUSTRY, MANDATORY FOR ALL ON-LINE REFRESHER COURSES, AS MANY IN OUR INDUSTRY ARE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PARTICULAR CHANGES, CAUSING PROBLEMS IN INSTALLATION.
  • just taken money from me for renewal and continuing education
  • Making electrician licensing STATE WIDE instead of regional. TDLR has also helped me to be more alert as it relates to my business dealing with the general public. It was a great idea to have licensing information on your vehicles and invoices, allowing the customer to track the unethically correct contractors. Great job!!!
  • More licensed electricians means higher quality work
  • The 12000 OJT hours a person has to obtain under the supervision of a master electrician needs to be divided up as follows: 4000 hours commercial 4000 hours residential 4000 hours industrial No one should be allowed to work on houses for 12000 hours and obtain a master electrician license to go out and blow himself or herself up. The Texas Department Of Licensing And Regulations should put in place a State MASTER ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR certified by the IAEI to monitor actions of the local electrical inspectors in each region for consistency as it relates to fairness among electrical contractors. Together, we can protect the health, safety and welfare of the public. and at the same time protect the TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATIONS reputation.
  • The rules and regulations for the sign industry are helpful because they encourage the law-abiding, financially stable and dependable firms to work with the public. This keeps safety in design, fabrication and installation at the forefront of everything we do for the customer. Without the rules, there are no parameters for the industry in which to operate and the public ultimately suffers by lower quality and safety standards.

What can TDLR do better?

  • 60 out of 1000 pool companies in Houston with license
  • ACR requires 1 licensee for every company. Needs be to a limit for how many people can work under that contractor license. (Ratio)
  • Adoption of the most current codes (elevator) and building codes
  • Annual elevator inspections – violations get conditional approval but owners don’t actually fix the violation. What happens when that same violation is there next year for that inspector? Require 3rd party re-inspection of those violations.
  • Anybody can get an apprentice license. They use fake social security numbers to get the license.
  • Apprentices are wiring houses with no journeymen around and inspectors won’t deal with it
  • Better communication – maybe more people would show up to these meetings
  • Better policing of borders
  • CE for appliance installers is needed
  • Communication is getting better. We can talk directly to AB.
  • Customer service – I can’t get anyone to answer the phone and have to stay on hold for 45 minutes.
  • Customers don’t want to use licensed people because they assume that licensed people cost more.
  • Customers need to get involved to help prove a case, but the customers don’t want to deal with the complaint.
  • Department should put restrictions on the Environmental license so that the contractors aren’t doing refrigeration work.
  • Different interpretations by RAS (Registered Accessibility Specialists) on signage codes. Even when we ask Austin, we get different answers.
  • DOL apprenticeship schools could be recognized as experience earned under a master electrician.
  • Don’t lower the license fees, use that money to increase enforcement
  • Double the amount of experience required for people who didn’t go through an apprentice program.
  • Educate us on how to file a complaint. What does enforcement need?
  • Electrical programs in prison systems. Can these guys get a license since they’ve been in prison?
  • Enforce existing rules and have judges willing to assess fines.
  • Enforcement – license fees apply to the operation of the department. We’re a self-sustaining entity except for enforcement. Fines and penalties go to the general fund, not back to the department. Legislature needs to rewrite funding mechanism so that a percentage of fines paid goes back to department to specifically fund enforcement.
  • Enforcement. No enforcement in pool industry. Nobody gets licensed and we’re bid out of jobs.
  • Exam is based on code only. Nothing there about internal wiring. It doesn’t test their knowledge about electricity.
  • Give more OJT credit to apprenticeship programs. The hours of experience are the same if you went through the apprenticeship or not. No weight given to apprenticeship program.
  • Have a ratio for electricians too (Apprentices to journeymen)
  • Have someone just watch the distributors. Watch the trucks coming and going.
  • Have to work for a master electrician to qualify for a journeyman license. People come from out of state and want to get a license but they didn’t work for a master because their state didn’t have a licensing program.
  • Hire more state employees for elevator.
  • Investigators don’t have enough time. Need more investigators. Need more enforcement.
  • Liaison between local governments and the state (city building officials)
  • Like to see a pool license that covers electrical, plumbing and boiler. Understand that’s going to be a harder exam. It will allow us to install or repair anything we need to without having to bring someone else in and increase the cost.
  • Maintenance guys in apartment complexes don’t have to be licensed and they don’t know what they’re doing. When we come across that work we’re expected to fix it and sometimes have to hire an electrician to do it.
  • Maintenance work should be limited to non-life safety issues.
  • More face to face meetings
  • More networking with other governmental agencies (workforce commission, IRS, etc.)
  • More public outreach on the local level
  • Much of the problem is taken care of if the supply houses can only sell to licensed contractors
  • Need more enforcement in the Valley & south Texas
  • Need more stings – especially in Houston (specifically in the pool industry)
  • Need regional meetings
  • On the job training – who’s doing the training?
  • Only citizens should be able to get a license.
  • People advertise as a handyman who are doing work that requires a license, but they don’t hold a license.
  • People are advertising without license numbers (offering to perform)
  • People are letting others use their license numbers.
  • People doing oil field work are not policed or regulated in any way.
  • Public outreach, public service announcements needed to educate consumers
  • Raise the licensing fees to pay for more enforcement
  • Ratio of journeymen to apprentices not defined at state level. Some cities do have ordinances specifying that ratio.
  • Signage at entrance and exit of every retail location selling equipment telling customers who has to have a license to do work. The stores can advertise on the sign that they have a license.
  • Some city inspectors work on buddy system. They’re not consistent from one inspector to the next.
  • Supply houses should be required to verify that the purchaser has a license.
  • Supply houses/distributors don’t want to enforce who has a license. They sell to everybody and don’t check to be sure they’re licensed.
  • This is one thing that needs to be in Chapter 51 that applies to all of the licenses that TDLR regulates.
  • Time limitations on apprentice license (6-7 years)
  • Trucks should have the company name in addition to the license number. Inspectors don’t verify that the company name and license numbers match.
  • Unlicensed activity. Supply houses are selling parts to unlicensed people.
  • Until 2004, no licenses were required for people who worked in petrochemical plant. Master electricians didn’t go in to the refineries.
  • Volunteer deputy stations in different regions to investigate and enforce the law
  • Way to cross reference the master to the work he’s signing off on. W-2s maybe. Social security history, tax id number.
  • We get outbid by unlicensed people.
  • We need language similar to Auctioneer law that requires licensees to be US citizen or legal alien.
  • We should issue licenses only to legal citizens.
  • We volunteer to enforce for free
  • We would volunteer people to set up the stings for you.
  • What’s the benefit to levels of licensure? Anybody can be an apprentice for as long as they want. Why should I take the test at all and pay extra fees.
  • Work with the industrial facilities and chemical plants to get them to value getting a higher level license
  • Most other states including Oklahoma allow HVAC/Mechanical apprentices to register at 16 years old. Would like to see this changed from 18 to 16 here in Texas. Our school system is starting an HVAC program in high school and students will need to be registered to participate, but according to the TDLR rules they must be 18 for HVAC. Please change this so that younger students may participate. I also have a son who helps me and he started long before 18, so we need something addressed here. Parent waiver or something along those lines would be a start, especially when the parent is an HVAC/R contractor.
  • The compliance investigators could educate cities, contractors and owners of the state requirements. The cities in my area do not follow state law and do not inform the contractors or building owners that they are required to comply with TAS. This leaves the uneducated building owners with non-compliant buildings, but they believe that are compliant because they have received a CO.
  • Police the point of sale of equipment. Distributors send email for all equipment sold under my license. Someone else using my license number to buy equipment.
  • A furnace replacement must have the same or greater output heating capacity as the one it replaces for identical heating performance. If the replacement furnace has a higher AFUE than the one it replaces, it should also use less fuel to do the same job. If the replacement furnace has a higher Steady State Efficiency than the furnace it replaces, the input heating capacity will be less for the same output heating capacity = the original furnace output heating capacity.
  • Instead of worrying so much about a licensed contractor, how about the inspectors surveillance the Box stores and follow up on the obvious trade items going into unmarked vehicles or General contractors. I estimate that more than half the work going on is being done by unlicensed individuals. What are we going to offend those that use the illegals or other ner do wells?
  • Possibly setting up an ad campaign to inform home owners about using only licensed contractors and how to recognize a licensed contractor.
  • Any company that has previously violated statute should still be subject to a complaint, investigation and determination of guilt and their license revoked.
  • Better enforcement of the laws in general for HVAC. Consider going to supply houses, because 2 out of 3 guys working in there are illegal. Statutory change to give us authority over the supply houses. Would like TDLR to have the authority to send a letter to the supply houses and Home Depots. - Ditto
  • Coordinated with industry to come up with FAQs to help with questions. Per Exec
  • Issues with contracting and sub-contracting. There needs to better communication within enforcement.
  • People have been giving false documentation to TDLR and have been given licenses as a result. Complaints have been made about it to TDLR, but TDLR's response has been that TDLR is not that person's employer and not responsible for checking that social security information. TDLR has been clearing them and needs to do a lot better concerning background checks. There needs to be a better process of doing a background check.
  • Somebody from eh state needs to push the electrical service provider such as Encore to provide authority to the electrical contractors to perform emergency disconnect service and this would be a statutory change.
  • TDLR are should push for all local municipalities to go electronic with permitting, registration, plan review etc...
  • TDLR needs regulatory authority for Home inspectors. Whatever the inspectors find, they need to provide pictures.
  • TDLR needs to be proactive rather than reactive. National companies come over often operating illegally by offering to perform electrical services. There are companies such as "Home Advisors", "Service Live.com", "Solar Reviews.com","1BOG.org", "Angie's List", "Clean Energy authority.com", "Go Green Leads.com", "Solar City", They are advertising electrical services without a license.
  • TDLR should partner with the Texas Atty Gen for fraudulent activities with a complaint from TDLR and asked to return back to California.
  • The complaint form is a burden on TDLR. It should include the ability to click on URLs, accept pics and industry complaint authority.
  • The reciprocity program needs to be reviewed and compared to other states and the exams reconfigured to coincide with the standard. We are working on the electrical side for journeyman reciprocity with AK, NC, OK etc..
  • There needs to be a statutory change allowing TDLR to regulate municipal permit and registration fees.
  • There should be better CS training to help either ELC issues and preliminary questions if there needs to be transfers to a different division to deal with electrical matters.
  • Too many times, companies that have come into the market illegally and have been educated on how to skirt around the law. They are offering to perform electrical work and should be prosecuted immediately. We need to do a better job of prosecuting immediately and it should be a fine not a consultation.
  • We need to get clarity on what a retail power provider is and what they can do as far as advertising services. Licensee does not want them to have the ability o offer Solar installation services, but rather just financing options.
  • We need to get our local municipal agencies involved to get to where we need to get. Need to coordinate with local municipalities to help regulate the supply houses. - Ditto
  • We need to re-educate municipalities. Only the electrical contractor that has the business license should have to come and pull a permit.
  • 1). Whatever rules the department put in place, the entire department dealing with that type of issue needs to be made aware of it. (LIVE EXAMPLE) Rule. 73.20 (c) indicates 2000 hours of OJT is the maximum amount of credit hours you can obtain in a one year time period. However, your master electrician licensing application suggest all you need is 12000 hours and it does not identify how they are to be obtained. With that being said, I've seen three different applicants apply for licensure and turned in 5000 hours in a one year time period. If it does not matter, remove (rule. 73.20 (c) because most of us adhere to the rules you put in place.
  • All electrical inspectors should be required to be certified by either ICC/IAEI "NO EXCEPTIONS". If not already certified give them at least one year.
  • An online database where employees/employers can register hours worked under direct supervision of Master for licensing purposes. This way hours are not lost over time.
  • Electrician licensing for out of state relocated individuals should take verifiable experience into account and allow those individuals to take the applicable test. the current process forces any license applicant back into apprenticeship regardless of experience. its preposterous!!!
  • Electricians outside of the reciprocated states. How will you fill all the open positions if you will not budge on your position?
  • Hire more enforcement officers
  • I applied to test for the Texas state master electrical license. I was told my out of state (SC) hours nor my SC electrical master license qualified me for the test, but that NC reciprocates with Texas, maybe try that route. Upon investigation I found that the knowledge base to qualify for a license in NC is actually less than is required in SC. I'm not trying to beat the system, only to get a fair chance.
  • I have a friend that moved here from NY. He plans to move his family here during Summer vacation. You are making it nearly impossible to get his license. He's a Master Electrician with 30 years experience. What's up with that???
  • I have a good friend who moved here. He's a Master Electrician with 30 years experience. He's planning to move his family here during Summer vacation. You are making it nearly IMPOSSIBLE for him to get his electrician's license. What up with that? If you want quality people from other states to move here. You have to give them a chance!!!
  • I received my Journeyman electrician license in 2002 from PASSING THE SBCCI electrical exam. Two years later I passed the ICC Master electrician exam which is when TDLR had taken over licensing. You will never understand how excited I was for TDLR to come into this area. You had to get blessing from certain individuals to even thing about becoming an electrician in this area. However, when TDLR took over in 2004, you "gave" license to people who wasn't even electricians. I worked really hard to pass my exams and was super excited when I did. When I got my license I was in Heaven, then my SHADE TREE CAR MECHANIC neighbor came over to my home and showed me a MASTER ELECTRICIAN LICENSE with a huge smile on his face. The bad part about it is that he still have that same license today. I was trying to avoid this store but it bothers me too bad. I've complained about others and it has always came back and slapped me in the face. Other than that complaint. You guys are doing great.
  • In order to allow lineman and power line contractors to employ lineman without being a master electrician, the addition of a master license for linemen would be helpful to current employers. Most lineman do not work within the areas of normal electricians. Allowing contractors to have licensed lineman working under them, would allow current and future power line employers to do work in the state, while both being regulated and compliant to existing laws, codes, and safety concerns....lineman would need proof of training and continuing education much like electricians...However working for a master license electrician sometimes means changing jobs and employers....please consider this issue in your evaluation...
  • It is very disappointing to have moved from Kansas City to Dallas and find out that I am considered an apprentice here. I hold a master and journeyman license in Kansas And Missouri for many years. I have 30 years of experience and had my own electrical business. I relocated because of family and discovered that Texas is one of the only states I know of that does not acknowledge my licenses. Therefore I suggest this be reconsidered and maybe issue a required Texas law course and test to have out of state licensing approved. Many years of work and knowledge gained to have it disregarded.
  • It makes no sense to me that a 30+ year electrician can not move to Texas and be eligible for the Journeyman or Master electrician test without fist re-doing an apprenticeship period of 4 years. There must be some other way to Vet individuals that are qualified in the trade!!
  • Mandatory drug testing for illegal drugs, I had to get out of the electrical trade due to a licensed superior using drugs in the past and presently. Hard to learn a trade when someone is doped up and expecting everyone to be a mind reader.
  • Texas law blatantly stated aircraft does not apply towards hours in working towards a journeyman electrician, as a prior air force member, i underwent intensive electrical training in order to even get an apprenticeship on the aircraft i worked, towards the end of my service, i did earn through testing and on the job experience, my electrical journeyman in the air force, of which absolutely none of it counts towards my state license, i was forced to start completely over, i could wire circles around some of the journeymen i have worked with since starting over, my formal idea, is to at least count some of the formal training us service members have had towards our state license regardless of whether it was a sophisticated vehicle or not, i do concede that a person would need to exam and have a bit of experience in using the nec however when released from any service, they give you your training records, it would be very easy to review them and allow considerations for the hours
  • there is no control of areas outside of city inspectors, I have seen and corrected several sub standard installations. Cotton gins and grain ELV are some of the worst cases. If this license law was passed to insure the safety of the people of Texas it is a complete failure, it seems as if it were passed just for the money aspect not safety or qualifications of the license holders without anyone to inspect the rural areas.
  • With on-line training available and on-line license renewal it time for on-line license testing. This will save the applicant and TDLR time and money.
  • With the lack of TDLR code enforcers, in our industry (signs) there are sign companies that offer to sell and service and install signs that are not licensed. Since some municipalities do not 'mirror' the TDLR rules and only require business registration, these unlicensed firms put the public safety at risk and give our industry a bad reputation.

What changes would you make to TDLR if you were king or queen for a day?

  • 1 pool license for the whole industry that covers everything having to do with pools
  • Any DOL approved apprenticeship program be approved to take the test – give you the experience under a master to meet the requirements. This would also apply to people trying to come in from out of state.
  • Cities should have to require technical certifications for their inspectors
  • City inspectors need to be licensed by TDLR
  • Consistency in issuing permits at local jurisdiction level. Require jurisdictions to verify licensure before issuing permits and report violations to state.
  • Don’t need to have regional meetings. There’s no need because we can have input through the website.
  • Don’t want more regulation, but TDLR has got to be given more authority to do something. Their hands are tied. There is too much paperwork. Politicians don’t want people getting in trouble during election time. They need to stay out of it.
  • Double the enforcement
  • Federal fund to pay for the codes as they get enforced. We shouldn’t have to buy all the code books.
  • Getting each county an enforcement agent or officer
  • Have more people to police the work
  • Houston fire department creating codes that don’t comply with ADA – we had to educate them
  • I want to hear what TDLR thinks needs to be done
  • Inspection authority for outside city limits
  • Library of books for people to use – colleges
  • Limit the amount of time someone can hold an apprentice license
  • Require distributors to only sell to licensed people
  • Signage at every retail location to educate consumers about the requirement for a license
  • Some municipalities still have licensing programs and some people apply for those licenses because they can’t pass the background check for the state. Cities should be required to hold applicants to the same criminal history standards or city licensing programs should go away.
  • The new enforcement investigators could work with the compliance investigator to ensure that TAS is being followed. The enforcement investigators need to investigate construction remodels. Contractors are not complying with TAS because they know that TDLR does not look at remodels.
  • Public service announcements to educate consumers about public safety and why they should use licensed contractors
  • Doing a good job
  • Electrical Issues -- listed appliances/luminaires are not considered "protected" unless applied in accordance with their listing and labeling requirements (Ref: NEC 240.5(1) and (3). Subsequently, a branch circuit with 20 ampere fuse/circuit breaker will not protect a listed appliance/luminaire that utilized a NEMA 5-15 cord/plug. However this seems to be common practice in the industry ... and the most probable source for "overloaded" extension cord fires.
  • For years we have been submitted to hours of the same useless nonsense regarding who is on boards , definitions, environmental issues etc. that have no baring on the respective trade. It seems that the CE providers have no incentive to do this, they just post the rules etc. and we wait out the clock. This is a joke. I have Master level licenses since 1978 and I get more out of sites such as 'Mike Holt 's and reading trade journals. Have we lost what CE was supposed to do.
  • Ref: NEC Article 110.3(A)(8).... and 240.5(1) and (3). Listed appliances and luminaires utilizing NEMA 5-15 plugs and cord cannot be considered "protected" if applied to a 20 ampere branch circuit. Who's being held accountable for allowing interfacing un-protected listed appliances and luminaires to interface in incompatible branch circuit protection? Who's being held accountable for the alleged "overloaded" listed extension cords that cause fires every X-mas? The fact is you cannot overload a listed extension cord if applied within it's label and/or listing requirements.
  • TDLR deserves a raise
  • TDLR should educate city officials and fire marshals about these and other requirements
  • US citizen or legal alien required to be qualified for a license – have this for all industries
  • Non-licensed work is out of hand here in Texas and the general consensus in my area among contractors is "why bother calling TDLR; they won't do anything about it." I have also talked to individuals that I have seen doing unlicensed side work and they tell me they don't believe they will ever get caught so they see no reason to get licensed...they'll just take their chances
  • I have called in a few times about this through the years. I am speaking out for my husband who is an electrician. We did not catch or read the fine print years ago & he missed out on getting grandfathered in as a Master Electrician since he has 30+ years experience. They informed me it was a one time thing & it will never happen again. I refuse to believe that! If enough people speak out, it is a possibility it can happen again. Can/will you reopen this for discussion again?
  • Change the number of OJT hours to get an electrician license or give education credit for the OJT (1 year less each for JE and ME)
  • Educate licensees on code changes with face to face meetings
  • Electrician appreciation day
  • Get the Atty Gen and have him prosecute every national or public company in the state of Texas without a license and prohibit them from ever obtaining a license.
  • Have more meetings like this to talk about code changes
  • Having more CE for apprentices and journeymen would help them better learn their trade and be more prepared to take the exams. There should be 24 - 30 hours like other states.
  • More than 2 FTEs for ensuring compliance and enforcement.
  • Number of hours to get a master electrician license should be lowered
  • Put a 6 - 8 yr. limit that an apprentice can hold an apprentice license. Up or Out.
  • Safety topic on every examination. (electricians)
  • TDLR should prohibit online reviews for licensed companies.
  • TDLR should rate every electrical inspectors in the state of Texas on their job performance, because we often get people that are not any good at their job. Give the chief of the state the power to pull and revoke their license.
  • TDLR should require licenses for home builders and that they use electrical contractors for all electrical services. This should be kept on record for the "fly by nights".
  • There needs to be a statutory change to check SSN# due to people slipping through the cracks on background checks.
  • Would do something to allow contractors to use HOV lanes.
  • 2). We understand every situations may not be the same. However, under "final orders" you should be consistent with the penalties assessed to licensees. One company is assessed $1,000 for having unlicensed workers and the other is assessed $106,000.00 for the same violation. Both are identified as having multiple workers. No identification as to how many from either company. Also, When you receive a complaint and perform your investigation, if you see that the complaint in frivolous and has no Merritt, let it go! Regardless to whom the complainant is. The fight can be very unnecessarily expensive for both parties.
  • 3). No one should be allowed to retake the electrical exam more three to four times per year. At the least, every three months. If you scored a "30" on an exam, you should be forced to wait at least three to six months before you test again, giving you more study time. If you made a "30", you are NOT master electrician material. A person scoring under 50% and being allowed to retake the exam the next day or two giving them the opportunity to do a (process of elimination) is irresponsible and absurd.
  • Add an additional master license for lineman, thereby allowing lineman to not have to be employed with or under a master electrician...Most lineman work for different companies that specialize in overhead electrical power....Creating a masters license would allow contractors, that do not engage in normal electricians discipline, to employ lineman who are not electricians. The license would not allow lineman to perform inside electrical work without an electricians license, skills, knowledge, or training....The special skills involved would have limitations and still comply with existing codes and laws
  • Allow a temporary suspension of license for retired license holders, so that they only need to pay an annual fee when the license is needed.
  • Allow out of state electrician's with decades of verifiable experience the opportunity to test into a master or journeyman license as applicable
  • drug test to keep licenses 3 strikes you are out
  • Electrical Engineers should be granted Master Electrician's licenses upon request, because an individual with a P.E. in EE has a higher level license. A P.E. in EE can tell a Master Electrician how to do the wiring, so a P.E. in EE knows enough to do the job himself. I am a veteran, and am not making enough to pay what it costs to live. Give me a Master Electrician's license so I can work for home owners, etc. independently. Other states give P.E.s Master Electrician's licenses.
  • Electricians and others are well represented on the Advisory Board. I would like to see more representation by the sign industry. The sign industry is very visible and affects branding for thousands of firms in the state of Texas. If we are to be licensed and operate within the rules, it would be ideal to have more of a say with the rules and future of TDLR. I've applied twice to be on the Advisory Board and have been denied twice without a reason or cause. It is difficult to find people willing to serve in any organizational capacity so having a representative from our industry would be a plus to TDLR.
  • Give these people a chance to take a test to prove their knowledge. Instead of having to start at the bottom! For crying out loud my friend has 30 years experience!!!!
  • I do not feel that licensed electricians are being treated fairly. There are so many unlicensed people doing electrical work in George West. No one seems to care when it would be so easy to find the unlicensed if someone from TDLR would do something and just call the telephone numbers. Why should a legitimate licensed electrician have to do all of the investigating? We have our own work to do. We are bonded, take the CE hours and pay for a license while the unlicensed person can do the job cheaper. Our city manager is one who uses an unlicensed person to do a lot of the electrical jobs for the city.
  • I have a friend with over 30 years experience as an electrician. You are making it practically impossible for him to get his license. If you want to attract workers from out of state. You must make it easier for them to be licensed!!! Maybe a test???
  • I know two Lic holders, A Master. and a Journeyman both have theft convictions. My option is they should banded from work in any type of service to the public. We're suppose to protect the public in all kinds of means and the criminal element is far most the first step in that effort. One of the people I have mentioned is in prison now for attempted murder . The other lied about his conviction of oilfield theft and was renew this year. It was reported to the investigators in Austin and it was never revoked. He still his a masters Lic. He now is the Master of record for a contractor in East Texas RM
  • I think it is nothing more than thievery the way you penalize us in the event we let our license lapse. I feel that it is in no way your business or concern if a contractor or employee lets his/her license expire. It is truly an injustice for you to force a master or journeyman to retake the test if his license lapse more than two years. We as a free people have the right to be able to let our license lapse for whatever reason we so desire.
  • I would allow time served as i electrician to test for your master not to have a master electrician sign for you they really look down on you
  • I would like to change the fact that a journeyman cannot sign off on a maintenance electrician license but a guy with a lesser license such as another maintenance electrician can. You would rather have a guy with less knowledge sign off on hours than a guy with more knowledge.
  • I would like to openly apologize to the commenters & the TDLR for my comment regarding "focus more on, and punish true FRAUD, and not on allegations". I misunderstood the concept surrounding this forum. I RESPECT what the agency is trying to accomplish here and I violated the rules. The rules are simple. All they are looking for is a way to better communicate with the members and the general public in efforts to better serve US. So please let's work together and assist with this mission. Remember, they really didn't have to do this. Don't be like me, hold your frustration for the appropriate time, this is not that time. No one threaten me to say this, I had a change of heart. REMEMBER, NO NAMES AND NO PERSONAL ATTACKS. So don't attack me for doing this. Again, please accept my apology.
  • Journeyman's exam. Why would you limit yourselves to a few states. How is keeping me as an apprentice helping me as well as you.
  • Make your website more user friendly. …
  • maybe y'all could think about pictures on our licenses in the future...like a drivers license.
  • More stings in rural areas and harsher punishment for operating illegally!
  • My law would be to heavily fine contractors who use non-licensed electricians to perform electrical work and to revoke the license, as well as setting forth a fine, of the electrician performing the work without proper insurance and electrical contracting license. A no tolerance law.
  • My question is why must a licensed electrician from another state have to take a written exam to obtain a Texas electrician license? Why can't the TDLR offer reciprocity to electricians who have active licenses in other states? The electricians exam in other states comes out of the same book, the current edition of the National Electrical Code. Texas recognizes and offers reciprocity to holders of RN licenses and they don't have to take a test.
  • Require apprentices/ journeyman in all trades to be American citizens.. Like Oklahoma does!
  • response with a drug rule/law that license are revoked if you can't pass drug test
  • Sometimes violations tend to get by the electrical inspectors due to an overload of work. They are human they can't catch everything. Also, I believe the TDLR should assign a volunteer electrical board to each region to review electrical contractors complaints on Inspectors. And maybe overrule the inspector if the contractors complaint is valid. Allow the board to screen the complaints before submitting them to the TDLR in efforts of controlling your overload. If you receive a complaint from the board, there is truly a problem. One other thing. I would Like to be on that board.
  • Test for illegal drugs, drugs are causing problems for a safe working environment and causing good people to get out of trades that abide by the law and not use illicit drugs.
  • The NEC comes out every 3 years with a an upgrade to codes, and specifications, you have other licenses that are on biannual, or better renewal cycles, electricians should not have to be burdened with an every year renewal. Also, I would like to see the CED courses include manufacturers product training, and installation techniques. This would broaden the ability for electricians to really learn, and keep up to date on products, and installation procedures. You have similar programs in health, and other trades.
  • there are far to few inspectors to cover the state. Few local inspectors ask to see licenses. more pressure on local authorities to enforce codes
  • This law has created a large number of unqualified electricians, many have friends who are contractors who have lied about the hours and experience of the applicants.
  • This law is not effective and should be canceled. Installing a pool pump motor does not require a licensed electrician.
  • We need more people to enforce the laws are in place but if they are not enforced they are meaningless. Agents should be allowed to follow suspected law breakers to job sites or start making unannounced inspections of billing records to companies listed in phone book or advertisements that do not have a TICL#
  • Why are General Contractors not regulated? If a person pays a general contractor for work done and the general contractor does not pay the sub-contractors the only thing the subs can do is lien the home or business of the person who paid already ! plus the sub is
  • why aren't solar companies required the have a journeyman electrician when building solar farms? there are live parts that need to be overseen by a qualified person..
  • Why must a licensed electrician from another state have to take the Texas electrical exam? You offer reciprocity to Registered Nurses from other states but not electricians? Why not? All the tests are based on the current edition of the National Electrical Code (N.E.C.).
  • Why take the time to actually get a License when you can just put up signs all day long with nothing. If you want people to respect the TDLR, how about doing something about the issues. I will gladly show you 5 bootleggers in San Antonio with store fronts that don't care about you or what you stand for.
  • I think it should be every 2 - 5 years that we have to renew them.
  • make pool license cover all to do with pools - electrical, plumbing, boiler
  • more presence around the state for license sweeps & license checks
  • more regulatory oversight for CE online activity
  • pool license training or CE for appliance license
  • put regulation restrictions on supply house & online sales to non-licensed persons or owners/maintenance people -- equipment and parts are being installed & replaced improperly
  • Time limits should be put on apprentice license

Over the next five years, what major changes will affect the way you do business and the services we provide?

  • Book smarts allow someone to pass a licensing exam.
  • Can the department assist contractors in participating in the discussion on the issues that impact the way do business? How do we give feedback on codes & efficiency standards?
  • Closed book exams for appliance license too. Apprenticeship program not required.
  • Compare ourselves with other industries that are growing and take the best they have to offer.
  • DOL apprenticeship programs getting more recognition for the jobs they do – better education.
  • Government regulations on efficiency standards affects the way I do business
  • Have a practical portion to the exam for all the trades.
  • High school kids need to worry about getting out of school and having a basic reading education so they can read the book and understand.
  • How are you researching potential changes? Are you looking at what other states are doing? Are you benchmarking with other high economic development states?
  • If the state can decide to not implement mandatory health insurance, can we also decide not to implement energy standards?
  • If we can’t get a pool license, we need to be able to change sizing on motors
  • Increased regulation and enforcement is a must
  • Less government
  • Move to closed book tests for Air conditioning. The test measures how well you can use the book, not how well you can work on an air conditioner.
  • Panel or regional meetings to discuss code changes
  • Retirees’ money doesn’t go as far.
  • Tablets on job sites
  • Technology is changing - equipment and computers
  • Technology is making things faster – cutting processing times from days to hours
  • We need a boiler operator license and boiler installer license. People need to be educated in boiler. Something that will reciprocate with other states.
  • Will be harder to find true craftsmen in the construction trades. Would also like to see a consolidation of the all the construction trade in one place. Desperately need statewide licensing for home builders/ remodeling companies.
  • Weed out the RASs that aren't doing a good job. A number of RASs both new and seasoned are not adequately representing TDLR in their plan reviews and inspections by letting non compliant items slide making those of us trying to a good job without jobs as Architects and Owners prefer to have a RAS that looks the other way.
  • College did see slight decrease in enrollment in technical industries due to movement to oil industry
  • Energy efficiency requirements, cost of equipment and economy making us unaffordable for the customers. More regulation is driving up the cost of business and customers are using unlicensed people.
  • Shortage of electricians & ac technicians.
  • It's my job to put into layman's terms what the commercial property consists of, and it's condition. More often than not, I find preventable latent fire and shock hazards, and include such findings in the reports I generate. These facilities typically have a Certificate of Occupancy, and as such the electrical, plumbing, etc. has been inspected and deemed in compliance with local regulatory requirements ... and these finding are preventable!
  • Because of House Bill 5 more kids are going to be taking the route of working in trade occupations.
  • If things go unchecked, solar leasing companies, utility companies and lead generation companies will have increased the cost of solar services, because licenses companies will have to compete with the unlicensed.
  • If unlicensed activity goes unchecked, I will no longer be able to provide sustainable good paying jobs. I will have an unqualified staff doing temporary jobs with no promise for the future working for pennies on a dollar.
  • If you don't regulate, we can't train. It is difficult to invest in people and then they're your competitor.
  • Retirement – industry is aging but we are seeing an increase in the number of electrician students.
  • We are trying to get more of the younger people involved. TDLR needs to become more technologically advanced through social media and other forms of electronic systems.
  • World market manufacturers (ex: China) need to be made to follow the color codes of the wiring (standard color codes)
  • Codes will evolve to become the same in every state, city or area; thereby increasing publics best interests and safety....
  • future computer controlled switchgear
  • I believe the everyday run of the mill electrician is going to be pushed into learning more, and more about green energy installations such as wind, solar power. These systems have to be integrated with the grid, and require knowledge of how to design, and install safely. We need to look for more widespread ways of getting this information out there, especially in the more rural areas. Even though the information might be available on the net, sometimes it takes hands on training to really get the ideas across.
  • I believe you will agree with the idea of developing an electrical board to assist with your current work load within the next year or so!
  • Just trying to understand and make sense of the administrative process as it relates to final orders. When a complaint is filed on someone it goes to it's investigation process. Either the defense or the prosecution makes a resolution offer. It is accepted or declined by the Executive Director. If accepted everyone moves on. If declined. An administrative hearing is set to go before an (ALJ)administrative law judge. This is where it gets confusing to me. It appears that the case went to the ALJ for a reason, which is to determine if a law or rule was broken or not. If either party disagrees with the ALJ's findings, they get to appeal the ALJ's decision. After the ALJ makes their final decision, why does it have to go before the commission. NO DISRESPECT INTENDED AGAINST THE COMMISSION. but are any of them lawyers. I am only asking the question openly because you ask me too.
  • Qualified to work in your state
  • Since we are involved with OSHA for fabrication and installation, I see more regulations for mobile cranes, electrical sign design and safe installation best practices.
  • still don't know
  • Texas has taken the first step toward more universal codes by controlling the license' in most crafts
  • There needs to be a swimming pool license allowing the Swimming pool industry to be more accountable for the mistakes that are made and allowing consumers a way to see if a builder or service company will do the proper job and be accountable when they don't do the proper job. In the pool license it should call on licensees to have training and certification with continual training.
  • this might curtail those working without licenses
  • Skilled craftsman to do better quality work

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