HB 3338: Professions and occupations; creating the Swimming Pool Contractor Licensing Act; Construction Industries Board to implement; terms; fees; effective date. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised from a House draft to a Senate floor version, primarily to correct formatting errors and clarify the scope of the new Swimming Pool Contractor Licensing Act. The Senate version explicitly defines the license as regulating only the installation of permanent in-ground structures, excluding other regulated trades like plumbing or electrical work unless specifically tied to the pool's closed-loop system. It also sets a specific deadline of November 1, 2027, for the licensing board to adopt necessary regulations and allows experienced applicants to bypass the initial examination requirement.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed and clarified to ensure the new license does not duplicate existing requirements for plumbing, electrical, or mechanical licenses, limiting its application strictly to the installation of permanent in-ground swimming pools and spas.

DEFINITION

Added explicit clarifications that the new license does not regulate general swimming pools, plan reviews, or other work covered by existing state codes and licensing acts.

REQUIREMENT

Established a specific deadline of November 1, 2027, for the Construction Industries Board to adopt necessary regulations for the new licensing program.

ELIGIBILITY

Created an exemption from the licensing examination for applicants who can prove they have equivalent experience and training to those required for the exam.

TECHNICAL

Corrected the bill title from 'establishing' to 'creating' the act and updated the codification section number for the second new law section.

House Committee Substitute → Floor (House) · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill was updated from a House Committee Substitute version to the Floor version, incorporating amendments from the Senate. The substantive policy content, including definitions, licensing requirements, and enforcement powers, remains identical between the two versions. The primary changes are formatting updates, such as adding the Senate sponsor's name and adjusting page headers for the final floor version.

TECHNICAL

Added the Senate sponsor (Logan) to the bill header and updated page numbering and header text to reflect the Floor version.

Reorganized the title page layout to include the 'House of Representatives - Floor Version' designation.

Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 3 → House Committee Substitute · 7 edits

MODERATE

The bill was completely rewritten to rename the legislation from the 'Pool Contractor Licensing Act' to the 'Swimming Pool Contractor Licensing Act'. This change clarifies that the law applies only to permanent, in-ground swimming pools and spas, explicitly excluding above-ground pools. The scope of work is also refined to clarify that plumbing and electrical work within a closed-loop circulation system does not require separate state licenses, while work connecting to public utilities still does.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed to specifically regulate permanent in-ground structures, removing coverage for above-ground pools. It also clarified the boundaries between swimming pool contracting and licensed plumbing/electrical trades.

DEFINITION

The definition of a 'swimming pool' was changed to include only permanent in-ground structures and spas, removing the previous allowance for partially above-ground structures.

The definition of a 'swimming pool contractor' was updated to specify that the license covers the installation of permanent in-ground spas or swimming pools.

SCOPE

The bill now explicitly states that the license does not regulate above-ground pools and does not replace plan review or permitting requirements managed by other authorities.

REQUIREMENT

Clarified that plumbing, electrical, or mechanical work outside standard pool installation (e.g., connections to public water or sewer) requires separate state licenses, while work within a closed-loop system does not.

FISCAL

Specific dollar amounts for license fees ($500 initial, $300 renewal) were removed; instead, fees will now match those for plumbing, electrical, and mechanical contractors.

TIMELINE

The deadline for the Construction Industries Board to adopt regulations was extended from the effective date to November 1, 2027.

ENFORCEMENT

Added explicit language stating that swimming pool work does not require a plumbing license when performed within a closed-loop circulation system.

Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 2 → Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 3 · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill was revised to update the tracking number from 16380 to 16325, reflecting a new version of the legislation. The effective date for the new swimming pool contractor licensing rules was moved forward from November 1, 2027, to November 1, 2026, allowing the regulations to take effect one year earlier than originally planned.

Scope change

The scope of the bill remains focused on regulating swimming pool contractors, but the timeline for enforcement has shifted to an earlier date.

TIMELINE

The effective date for the new licensing requirements was changed from November 1, 2027, to November 1, 2026, accelerating the implementation of the rules.

TECHNICAL

The document tracking number was updated from 16380 to 16325 to reflect the new version of the bill.

Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 → Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 2 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was re-submitted with updated tracking numbers and dates, reflecting a revision by the Policy Committee. The most significant substantive change is the effective date of the new law, which was moved from November 1, 2026, to November 1, 2027, delaying the implementation of new licensing requirements for swimming pool builders by one year. A minor technical correction was also made to clarify that the new rules apply to work outside the 'scope' of standard pool installation, replacing the previous wording of 'slope'.

Scope change

The scope of the bill's applicability remains the same, but the timeline for enforcement has been extended by one year.

TIMELINE

The effective date for the new swimming pool builder licensing requirements was changed from November 1, 2026, to November 1, 2027, giving the industry an additional year to prepare.

REQUIREMENT

The text defining prohibited electrical and plumbing work was updated from 'outside the slope' to 'outside the scope' of standard pool installation to improve clarity and accuracy.

TECHNICAL

Administrative tracking numbers, page references, and committee revision dates were updated to reflect the new version of the bill.

Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 → Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was revised from an 'Oversight' version to a 'Policy' version, shifting the focus from monitoring existing rules to actively creating new regulations. The most significant change is renaming the act from 'Swimming Pool Contractor Licensing Act' to 'Pool Contractor Licensing Act' and expanding the definition of a pool to include above-ground structures. Additionally, the initial licensing fee was reduced from $500 to $300, and the bill now explicitly clarifies that plumbing work within a closed-loop circulation system is part of the contractor's scope rather than requiring a separate plumbing license.

Scope change

The scope expanded from strictly regulating in-ground pools to include above-ground pools and clarified that specific plumbing work within the pool system is covered under the new license.

DEFINITION

The definition of a 'swimming pool' was updated to include permanent above-ground structures, whereas the previous version only covered in-ground structures.

SCOPE

The bill now explicitly states that plumbing work associated with a closed-loop circulation system is considered part of swimming pool construction and does not require a separate plumbing license.

FISCAL

The initial fee for obtaining a swimming pool contractor license was reduced from $500 to $300.

REQUIREMENT

The bill was restructured to clearly separate definitions, licensing authority, and specific prohibitions on performing electrical or plumbing work outside the pool's scope.

Engrossed → Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was completely rewritten by the committee to update the title and reorganize the text. The substantive policy content regarding licensing requirements, fees, and definitions remains largely the same, though minor wording adjustments were made to clarify that the license does not replace other required permits and to streamline the list of enforcement powers.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; it still establishes a licensing program for swimming pool contractors under the Construction Industries Board.

TECHNICAL

The bill title and header were updated to reflect the committee substitute version, and the page numbering was reset.

The text regarding plumbing, electrical, and mechanical work was adjusted to remove redundant phrasing while keeping the same scope of work allowed for licensed contractors.

REQUIREMENT

Minor wording changes were made to clarify that the license is not a substitute for other required plan reviews, permits, or inspections by other authorities.

DEFINITION

The list of enforcement powers was slightly rephrased to improve clarity, specifically regarding the authority to establish fines and initiate disciplinary proceedings.

Introduced → Engrossed · 6 edits · Mar 11, 2026

MODERATE

This bill transforms HB 3338 from a procedural placeholder into a substantive law creating a new licensing program for swimming pool contractors in Oklahoma. It authorizes the Construction Industries Board to regulate these contractors, defines who qualifies as a contractor, and sets specific rules for licensing, fees, and scope of work.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a generic procedural framework to a specific regulatory regime for the swimming pool industry, establishing new definitions and enforcement powers.

SCOPE

Created a new 'Swimming Pool Contractor Licensing Act' authorizing the Construction Industries Board to administer and enforce licensing for swimming pool contractors.

DEFINITION

Defined 'swimming pool' as permanent in-ground structures and 'swimming pool contractor' as individuals installing them.

REQUIREMENT

Established that no person may build or install a swimming pool without a license issued by the Construction Industries Board after regulations are adopted.

ELIGIBILITY

Set a timeline for regulation adoption by November 1, 2027, allowing applicants to obtain licenses without an exam if they demonstrate equivalent experience and training by that date.

FISCAL

Mandated that application, initial, and renewal fees for swimming pool contractors must match the fees charged to plumbing, electrical, and mechanical contractors.

ENFORCEMENT

Clarified that licensed swimming pool contractors cannot perform plumbing, electrical, or mechanical work outside the specific scope of closed-loop pool circulation systems.

Professions and occupations; creating the Swimming Pool Contractor Licensing Act; Construction Industries Board to implement; terms; fees; effective date.

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