SB0271 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB094 04253 RAS 34277 b

94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
SB0271

Introduced 2/3/2005, by Sen. Dave Sullivan

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

225 ILCS 320/2.5

Amends the Illinois Plumbing License Law. Provides that all automatically operated lawn sprinkler systems shall have furnished and installed technology that inhibits or interrupts operation of the system during periods of sufficient moisture or rainfall. Provides that this requirement does not apply to systems operating on golf courses or agricultural lands. Effective January 1, 2008.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Plumbing License Law is amended by changing Section 2.5 as follows:

(225 ILCS 320/2.5)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2013)

Sec. 2.5. Irrigation contractors; lawn sprinkler systems.

(a) Every irrigation contractor doing business in this State shall annually register with the Department. Every irrigation contractor shall provide to the Department his or her business name and address, telephone number, name of principal, and FEIN number. Every irrigation contractor doing business in this State shall also register with the Department each and every employee who installs or supervises the installation of lawn sprinkler systems. The registration shall include the employee's name, home address, and telephone number. The Department may provide by rule for the administration of registrations under this subsection. The annual registration fee shall be set by the Department pursuant to Section 30 of this Act.

(b) A licensed plumber or licensed apprentice plumber may install a lawn sprinkler system connected to any water source without registration under this Section.

(c) A licensed plumber shall inspect every sprinkler system installed by an irrigation contractor to ensure the provisions of this Section have been met and that the system works mechanically. A licensed plumber shall make the physical connection between a lawn sprinkler system and the backflow prevention device.

Upon the installation of every lawn sprinkler system in this State from the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly forward, a licensed plumber shall affix to the backflow prevention device a tag certifying that the installation of that system has been completed in compliance with the minimum code of plumbing standards promulgated under this Act. The Department shall provide by rule for the registration of every lawn sprinkler system installed after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly, including the means by which the Department shall be able to identify by registration number the identity of the responsible irrigation contractor and by license number the identity of the responsible licensed plumber. No lawn sprinkler system installed after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly may be operated without the certification tag required under this Section.

The registered irrigation contractor and the licensed plumber whose identifying information is contained on the certification tag shall both be subject to the penalty provisions of this Act for violations for improper installation of a lawn sprinkler system installed after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly.

(d) An irrigation contractor that has registered with the Department 7 or fewer persons who are authorized to install or supervise the installation of lawn sprinkler systems shall either employ or contract with at least one licensed plumber who shall install or be responsible for the installation of every lawn sprinkler system installed after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly. The licensed plumber shall inspect the risers and sprinkler heads before backfilling.

An irrigation contractor that has registered with the Department 8 to 12 persons who are authorized to install or supervise the installation of lawn sprinkler systems shall either employ or contract with at least 2 licensed plumbers who shall install or be responsible for the installation of every lawn sprinkler system installed after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly. A licensed plumber shall inspect the risers and sprinkler heads before backfilling.

An irrigation contractor that has registered with the Department 13 to 20 persons who are authorized to install or supervise the installation of lawn sprinkler systems shall either employ or contract with at least 3 licensed plumbers who shall install or be responsible for the installation of every lawn sprinkler system installed after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly. A licensed plumber shall inspect the risers and sprinkler heads before backfilling.

An irrigation contractor that has registered with the Department 21 to 28 persons who are authorized to install or supervise the installation of lawn sprinkler systems shall either employ or contract with at least 4 licensed plumbers who shall install or be responsible for the installation of every lawn sprinkler system installed after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly. A licensed plumber shall inspect the risers and sprinkler heads before backfilling.

An irrigation contractor that has registered with the Department 29 to 35 persons who are authorized to install or supervise the installation of lawn sprinkler systems shall either employ or contract with at least 5 licensed plumbers who shall install or be responsible for the installation of every lawn sprinkler system installed after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly. A licensed plumber shall inspect the risers and sprinkler heads before backfilling.

An irrigation contractor that has registered with the Department 36 or more persons who are authorized to install or supervise the installation of lawn sprinkler systems shall either employ or contract with at least 6 licensed plumbers who shall install or be responsible for the installation of every lawn sprinkler system installed after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly. A licensed plumber shall inspect the risers and sprinkler heads before backfilling.

The Department may provide by rule for the temporary waiver process for registered irrigation contractors who are unable to comply with the requirements of this subsection. When a temporary waiver is granted, it shall not be for a duration of more than 3 consecutive months. Upon the expiration of a temporary waiver issued by the Department, the registered irrigation contractor shall demonstrate that justifiable reasons exist why he or she is still unable to comply with the requirements of this subsection, despite good faith efforts to comply with the requirements. In no case shall a temporary waiver be granted for an irrigation contractor for more than a total of 6 months in a two-year period. In no case shall an irrigation contractor be relieved of the requirement that a licensed plumber shall inspect every sprinkler system installed by an irrigation contractor to ensure the provisions of this Section have been met and that the system works mechanically and make the physical connection between a sprinkler system and the backflow prevention device.

(e) No person shall attach to a lawn sprinkler system any fixture intended to supply water for human consumption.

No person shall attach to a lawn sprinkler system any fixture other than the backflow prevention device, sprinkler heads, valves, and other parts integral to the operation of the system, unless the fixture is clearly marked as being for non-potable uses only.

(f) All automatically operated lawn sprinkler systems shall have furnished and installed technology that inhibits or interrupts operation of the landscape irrigation system during periods of sufficient moisture or rainfall. The technology must be adjustable either by the end user or the irrigation contractor.

This subsection does not apply to systems operating on golf courses or agricultural lands.

The requirements of this subsection apply to all landscape irrigation systems installed after January 1, 2008.

(Source: P.A. 91-678, eff. 1-26-00; 92-778, eff. 8-6-02.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2008.