Missouri Senate Bill 559, sponsored by Sen. Dave Schatz (R-Sullivan) and House Bill 1891, sponsored by Rep. Nick Schroer (R-O’Fallon) both seek to establish the Missouri Statewide Mechanical Contractor Licensing Act requiring companies, regardless of size, to have only one licensed mechanical contractor on staff to perform work on heating and cooling systems, boilers, water heaters, piping, gas systems, solar energy, plumbing, refrigeration, medical piping, fire suppression and other mechanical systems.

State Rep. Doug Beck (D-Affton), a member of Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 562 and candidate for state Senate in the 1st District, compared the bill to requiring hospitals to have only one licensed doctor on staff.

Licensed tradespeople have demonstrated superior knowledge and skill through classroom education, on-the-job training, and by passing an industry standard exam – this ensures each and every licensee has the ability to deliver mechanical installations, repairs, and maintenance to current industry standards, ensuring the safety and well-being of Missourians.

Under House Bill #1891 and Senate Bill #559, only ONE individual per company must meet this standard, regardless of the size of the company, complexity of the job, or skills and experience of their employees, and any and all municipalities are barred from requiring any licensure more stringent or enforcing ANY licensure, including the state license, after August 28, 2020.

“This would affect quite a few trades,” Beck said. “It would require only one person in the company to be licensed, nobody else would have to be licensed. Everybody else would be under their supervision, whether that person is there or not.. “It would be like going to a hospital and there would be one doctor there and everybody else would be on their honor, and they could do all the things that a doctor would do. That’s what this bill is promoting.”

House Bill #1891 and Senate Bill # 559 seek to eliminate the ability of municipalities to license trades as they see fit and effectively eliminates individual and apprentice licensure in the mechanical trades. Licenses PROTECT THE CONSUMER AND PROTECT THE PAY AND EDUCATION OF MISSOURI WORKERS.