Bill > HB677

This bill amends the Apprenticeship and Training Act to update rules about apprenticeship and training supervision, focusing primarily on establishing clear guidelines for the ratio of apprentices to journeymen based on occupational hazard levels. The bill modifies the State Apprenticeship and Training Council's powers and duties, introducing a new section that categorizes occupations into high, medium, and low-hazard levels using fatality rates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Under the new provisions, the number of supervisors required for apprentices will depend on the occupation's hazard level - allowing up to three supervisors for high-hazard jobs, two for medium-hazard jobs, and one for low-hazard jobs. The bill also provides special considerations for smaller enterprises with fewer than 50 employees, allowing more flexible supervisor-to-apprentice ratios. Additionally, the legislation requires the Department of Labor and Industry to annually review and publish occupational hazard levels, notify affected program sponsors of any changes, and ensure consistent supervision ratios between joint and non-joint apprenticeship programs. The bill will take effect 60 days after passage and explicitly abrogates a specific existing regulation (34 Pa. Code § 83.5(b)(7)).

Labor and Employment

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2025&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=677