HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4090        FILED ON: 2/11/2014

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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Garrett J. Bradley, (BY REQUEST)

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act requiring identification badges for home improvement contractors.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4090        FILED ON: 2/11/2014

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Fourteen

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An Act requiring identification badges for home improvement contractors.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 142A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 18 the following section:-

Section 18A. Notwithstanding section 14, any registered or licensed contractor who enters a dwelling unit of the owner to perform residential contracting services shall be subject to the requirements of this section.

For the purposes of this section and the second paragraph of section 19, the term “contractor” shall include any contractor, employee, salesperson or subcontractor who engages in residential contracting services.  Every contractor with face-to-face interactions with an owner shall wear an identification badge, issued pursuant to this section, whenever the contractor is performing, engaging or attempting to engage, in the business of making or selling home improvements. The identification badge shall be plainly visible and worn on the upper left corner of the contractor’s torso when the contractor is performing, engaging or attempting to engage, in the business of residential contracting.

Upon the application of a contractor, the director shall issue, or cause to be issued, a personalized identification badge to the contractor.  The identification badge shall include a color photograph of the contractor's face, the contractor's name, the contractor's registration or certification number, and the name of the contractor's business displayed in a manner that will be plainly visible and permit recognition when worn by the contractor. The identification badge shall be made in such a way and of such material that any attempt to alter the badge will result in it being immediately, permanently and obviously ruined. The photograph included on the identification badge shall be taken no more than 4 weeks before the date upon which the identification badge is issued.  A contractor shall apply for and obtain a new identification badge at least once every 6 years.

The director may charge the contractor a reasonable fee to cover the costs of the identification badge issued pursuant to this section.

A contractor who has been issued an identification badge pursuant to this section and whose registration or certification has been suspended, revoked or has not been renewed, shall, within 3 days of that suspension, revocation or nonrenewal, surrender the identification badge to the director.

SECTION 2. Section 19 of said chapter 142A is hereby amended by inserting after the first paragraph the following paragraph:-

Any person who knowingly exhibits or displays an identification badge issued pursuant to section 18A and is not at that time registered as a contractor, including any contractor who has had his or her registration or certification revoked, suspended or not renewed, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $2,500 or by imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or both.