Sec. 18.1. (a) An individual age seventeen (17) years or older wanting to be registered by the commission as an apprentice plumber shall, on a form provided by the commission, make application for registration. The applicant shall also provide to the commission a statement signed by a licensed plumbing contractor or journeyman plumber who is the employer of the applicant that the prospective apprentice is the employer's employee and will work under the direct and immediate personal supervision of a licensed contractor or journeyman plumber.

(b) If the commission approves the application for registration, it shall issue a certificate of registration as an apprentice plumber to the applicant.

(c) Except as provided in subsection (d), an individual may apply to be a registered apprentice plumber under this section and may work under the direct and immediate personal supervision of a licensed plumbing contractor or journeyman plumber for one (1) year, so long as the individual has applied for acceptance in a commission approved apprenticeship program. The requirements of this subsection are met even if the individual:

(1) is awaiting a response from the apprenticeship program; or

(2) has been placed on the apprenticeship program's waiting list;

at the time that the individual is working under the supervision of the licensed plumbing contractor or journeyman plumber.

(d) A registered apprentice plumber under subsection (c) shall discontinue working under the direct and immediate personal supervision of a licensed plumbing contractor or journeyman if any of the following events occurs:

(1) The registered apprentice plumber is not accepted into an apprenticeship program.

(2) The registered apprentice plumber is removed from the apprenticeship program's waiting list and does not begin the apprenticeship program.

(3) The registered apprentice plumber does not begin the apprenticeship program and remains on the apprenticeship program's waiting list for a period longer than one (1) year.

(4) The registered apprentice plumber withdraws the application submitted to the apprenticeship program.

(e) A licensed plumbing contractor or journeyman supervising a registered apprentice plumber under subsection (c) must notify the commission of the occurrence of an event described under subsection (d).

As added by P.L.248-1985, SEC.3. Amended by P.L.127-2019, SEC.1.