SECTION 1.Subsection (l) of section 81R of chapter 112 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting before the word “or”, in line 86, the following words:- provided, however, that this subsection shall not apply to engineering work or services that could pose a material risk to public safety, as determined by the department of public utilities, performed by or on behalf of a gas company, as defined by section 1 of chapter 164, that distributes and sells gas within the commonwealth;.

SECTION 2.Chapter 164 of the General Laws shall be amended by inserting the following new section:-

Section 146.Any engineering plans or specifications for engineering work or services that could pose a material risk to public safety, as determined by the department of public utilities pursuant to subsection (l) of section 81R of chapter 112, developed by or on behalf of a gas company shall bear the stamp of approval of a professional engineer certified under section 81E of said chapter 112; provided, however, that any such plan or specification shall be housed within the applicable gas company subject to review and audit by the department of public utilities and shall be deemed to be filed with a public authority within the meaning of section 83M of said chapter 112.  The department of public utilities may promulgate regulations as necessary to implement this section and applicable provisions of subsection (l) of section 81R of said chapter 112.