SB 553: Professions and Businesses; repeal Chapter 14, relating to electrical contractors, plumbers, conditioned air contractors, low voltage contractors, and utility contractors and enact a new Chapter 14

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Discussed in meetings (13)

The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.

1. Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee, March 2, 2026

   From 0:21:59 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the substitute would put measurable licensing requirements into law for electrical, low-voltage, plumbing, utility and conditioned-air contractors, reducing inconsistent decisions and addressing court rulings limiting boards’ rulemaking authority. The sponsor described exams before applications, broader eligibility for inspector seats and preservation of existing licenses. The sponsor said the substitute would require three years’ experience for restricted electrical licenses and four for unrestricted licenses. Members questioned verification of 2,000-hour experience requirements, especially for salaried workers or employers without detailed records. The governor’s deputy chief operating officer said employer affidavits would verify relevant work, replacing reference calls, and false statements could jeopardize the signer’s license. The governor’s policy advisor emphasized specified tasks rather than unrelated work. Governor’s staff said local code enforcement and homeowners’ ability to work on their own homes would remain unchanged. Staff described restrictions on lending licenses to unrelated workers and shorter requirements for some plumbing licenses. Members welcomed military and out-of-state licensing provisions. The chair questioned why licensing was needed alongside inspections. The sponsor cited public safety; governor’s staff said objective standards would prevent boards from excluding competitors. Separate witnesses representing mechanical, plumbing and electrical associations, utility contractors, conditioned-air contractors and independent electrical contractors supported the proposal. No opposition testimony was offered. The committee approved the substitute 8-0.

2. Senate Rules Committee, March 5, 2026

   From 0:30:13 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor described SB 553 as a proposal from the governor to streamline licensing for electricians, plumbers, utility contractors and heating and air-conditioning contractors. No substantive questions followed. The committee unanimously included the bill in the floor-calendar package.

3. Senate floor session, March 6, 2026 (legislative day 28, part 1)

   From 1:14:23 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (Senate Third Read)

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said SB 553 would put objective licensing requirements into law for five construction-industry licensing divisions covering electrical, plumbing, conditioned-air, low-voltage and utility work. The sponsor argued that subjective experience standards in board rules caused confusion and wasted applicants' time and money. The sponsor said clearer requirements would help Georgians enter these trades while preserving consumer safety standards. No questions or opposing speeches followed. The Senate adopted the committee substitute and passed the bill, 52 to 0.

4. House Regulated Industries Committee, March 17, 2026

   From 0:21:40 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the substitute would replace subjective licensing standards with clear requirements in law for electrical, low-voltage, plumbing, utility and conditioned-air contractors. The chair said an administrative-procedure provision had been removed while discussions with the governor's office continued. One member urged better communication about licensing protections for military families. Answering another member, a supporting presenter said restricted electrical-contractor experience would fall from four years to three and restricted master-plumber experience from five years to four. The presenter said the bill would put the existing one-year journeyman-plumber requirement into law, define a year as 2,000 hours, and specify education credits separately for each license. The presenter said military experience already qualifies and described license portability for active-duty members and spouses, with ordinary licensing required after retirement. Asked about a business losing its licensed contractor through death, the presenter described a 90-day grace period and possible 90-day extension, but acknowledged no provision resolved missing experience verification from the deceased contractor. On low-voltage continuing education, a presenter said the bill consolidated existing board authority but could not confirm an existing requirement. The committee approved the substitute by voice vote.

5. House Rules Committee, March 19, 2026

   From 0:56:14 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the bill, presented on behalf of the governor, would streamline licensing for five construction-trade industries in Georgia. There were no questions. The committee later placed the bill on the Legislative Day 34 calendar without voiced opposition.

6. House floor session, March 19, 2026 (legislative day 34)

   From 1:44:17 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2822

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The House sponsor said SB 553 would put objective licensing requirements into law for electrical, low-voltage, plumbing, utility, and conditioned-air contractors. The sponsor said the current system relies on broad board rulemaking and has become fragmented, making requirements harder to understand. The sponsor described the committee substitute as simplifying existing licenses rather than creating new ones, and said the Governor's Office worked with the Secretary of State and industry leaders. One member asked whether it would speed license renewal or reinstatement for people returning from another state. The sponsor said it would improve consistency and help people return to work. A second member, identifying as a licensed contractor, asked whether the affected trades had helped develop and supported the bill. The sponsor confirmed that they had. The House adopted the committee substitute without objection and passed the bill, 168 to 0.

7. Senate floor session, March 27, 2026 (legislative day 38)

   From 8:37:35 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub)

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor described SB 553 as a governor's measure to simplify licensing for utility contractors, electricians, low-voltage electricians and heating and air conditioning contractors. The sponsor said the House added a licensing pathway for tier-two low-voltage utility contractors and had passed the measure unanimously. No questions or opposition followed. The Senate agreed to the House substitute 46-0.

• Read aloud: Senate floor session, February 25, 2026 (legislative day 24), 0:27:40
• Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 3, 2026 (legislative day 26), 0:35:46
• Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 4, 2026 (legislative day 27), 0:49:43
• Read aloud: House floor session, March 9, 2026 (legislative day 29), 0:59:36
• Read aloud: House floor session, March 10, 2026 (legislative day 30), 0:45:32
• Read aloud: House floor session, March 18, 2026 (legislative day 33), 0:53:40

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