§ 37:1361 — State Plumbing Board; appointments; qualifications; legislative intent; authority

§1361. State Plumbing Board; appointments; qualifications; legislative intent; authority
A. The purpose of the legislature in enacting this Chapter is the protection of the
health, safety, environment, and general welfare of all those persons who use and rely upon
plumbing, and medical gas and vacuum systems for their personal or commercial needs, and
the affording to such persons of an effective and practical protection against incompetent,
inexperienced, or unlawful acts by persons who perform plumbing and medical gas and
vacuum systems work. Further, the legislative intent is that the State Plumbing Board shall
be the sole and exclusive agency in this state empowered to license natural persons and
regulated business entities engaged or seeking to engage in the business of plumbing and
medical gas and vacuum systems installation and verification and to ensure compliance with
the licensing requirements of this Chapter. Nothing herein shall preclude any current
authority of the State Licensing Board for Contractors.
B. The State Plumbing Board is created. The board, which shall be appointed by the
governor, shall consist of one registered mechanical engineer who is also licensed by the
State Plumbing Board, one plumbing inspector who is also licensed by the State Plumbing
Board, five master plumbers, one journeyman plumber, one residential plumber limited, and
two members of the public. Each appointment shall be made in the following manner: (1) The registered mechanical engineer shall be from a list of three names submitted
by the Louisiana Department of Health.
(2) The plumbing inspector shall be from a list of three names submitted by the
Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code Council.
(3)(a) Three active master plumbers shall be from a list of nine names submitted by
the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors of Louisiana or its successor.
(b) Two master plumbers shall be from a list of six names submitted by the Louisiana
Pipe Trades Association or its successor.
(c) Any active master plumber appointed shall be listed as the responsible master
plumber for his company.
(4) The journeyman plumber shall be from a list of three names submitted by the
Louisiana Pipe Trades Association or its successor.
(5) The residential plumber limited by the governor.
(6) One member of the public shall be from a list of three names submitted by the
speaker of the House of Representatives.
(7) One member of the public shall be from a list of three names submitted by the
president of the Senate.
C. The board shall be a corporate body, may sue and be sued, and shall possess in
addition to the powers herein granted, all the usual powers incident to corporation.
D. All members shall be qualified electors of this state and, except for the public
members, shall be licensed by the board. The public members shall represent the general
public and shall not earn their livelihood in a construction-related industry.
E. Six members shall constitute a quorum.
F.(1)(a) The board shall be the sole and exclusive agency in this state empowered to
license any natural person or regulated business entity who is engaged or who seeks to
engage in the business of gas fitting work for the general public that includes installation,
repair, improvement, alterations, or removal of natural gas piping, tanks, and appliances
annexed to real property.
(b) Nothing in Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph shall be construed to supersede
any of the following:
(i) The authority of the State Licensing Board for Contractors to regulate mechanical
contractors as defined in R.S. 37:2150.1.
(ii) The authority of the Louisiana Liquefied Petroleum Gas Commission to regulate
gas fitter installations pursuant to R.S. 40:1846.
(c) The board is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations related to gas fitting,
and those rules and regulations shall preempt any conflicting local laws.
(2)(a) Notwithstanding any provision of a home rule charter to the contrary, the
provisions of this Section shall preempt any municipal or other local regulatory examination
authority relative to gas fitters and master gas fitters.
(b) No municipal or other local regulatory authority shall require any gas fitter or
master gas fitter to apply for or to maintain any gas fitter or master gas fitter's license, or any
equivalent thereof, as a condition to perform gas fitting work in any municipality or other
local jurisdiction unless that gas fitter or master gas fitter's license is issued by the board.
(c) A municipality or other local regulatory authority may assess and collect locally
adopted fees and charges relative to gas fitting work, as defined in R.S. 37:1377, that is
performed in their respective jurisdictions but only from persons licensed pursuant to R.S.
37:1368.

Legislative History

Acts 1964, No. 498, §1; Acts 1990, No. 752, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1991; Acts 1999, No. 1020, §1, eff. July 9, 1999; Acts 2016, No. 297, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2017; Acts 2016, No. 515, §1; Acts 2023, No. 152, §1; Acts 2024, No. 721, §1; Acts 2025, No. 438, §1, eff. June 20, 2025.