SECTION 1. There shall be a special commission established on welding and hot works regulation. The commission shall investigate and study the current requirements for licenses and permits governing cutting, welding, and other hot work processes involving burning or a similar operation that is capable of initiating fires or explosions to determine if the state fire code adequately protects the safety of the public and first responders.  The study shall consider the current conditions required for the issuance of licenses or permits, the use of supervised details and firewatchers, the adequacy of fees to cover inspection and oversight and other municipal costs, the deterrent effect of penalties for violations of rules and regulations and cost recovery assessment for damages resulting from the failure to comply with rules and regulations, the training and certification required to perform the work and any other matters the commission finds that would enhance the safety of the work. The commission shall report its findings, including any proposed legislation, to the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on public safety and homeland security and the executive office of public safety and security no later than June 1, 2015.

SECTION 2. The commission shall consist of: one member of the fire chief’s association of Massachusetts, one member appointed by the Governor who shall have experience and expertise in cutting, welding and hot works trades, the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on public safety and homeland security or their designees, one member of the minority party from both the house and senate appointed by the minority leader of those branches respectively, the state fire marshal or his designee, the chairman of the board of fire prevention regulations or his designee, the associate commissioner of the vocational workforce and college readiness programs, or his designee and a representative of a labor organization representing pipefitters chosen by the president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO.