SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1300        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 173

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Barry R. Finegold

_________________

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 to establish licensing standards for drain cleaners.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Barry R. Finegold

Second Essex and Middlesex

 

Tackey Chan

2nd Norfolk

1/19/2023


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1300        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 173

By Mr. Finegold, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 173) of Barry R. Finegold and Tackey Chan for legislation to establish licensing standards for drain cleaners.  Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 330 OF 2021-2022.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

_______________

 

An Act to establish licensing standards for drain cleaners.

 

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. Section 1 of chapter 142 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after the definition of “Certificate of a gas fitting corporation or certificate of a gas fitting partnership” the following 2 definitions:-

“Drain cleaner”, a person who himself does any work in drain cleaning as certified under section 3C.

“Drain cleaning”, the removing of stoppages or obstructions in a plumbing drainage system.

SECTION 2. Chapter 142 is hereby further amended by inserting after section 3B the following new section:-

Section 3C. No drain cleaner shall engage in the practice of drain cleaning without completing the necessary education requirements and being certified by the board. A drain cleaner shall demonstrate that he or she has completed at least 100 hours of drain cleaning work under the supervision of an existing drain cleaning business incorporated with the state prior to January 1, 2025, or a licensed plumber. Drain cleaners shall limit their drain cleaning work to pipes connected to fixtures inside a structure, which shall include, but not be limited to sinks, bathtubs, toilets, cleanouts with a removable plug or cap, and removable fixture traps. Drain cleaners shall not install, destroy or cut any pipes. The fee for certification shall not be more than fifty dollars every two years to be paid at the time of certification renewal.