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H 4283

Rock Hill HS girls wrestling champs

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Terry Alexander and 122 co-sponsors

Massachusetts H 4283 would create a Board of Registration of Irrigation Contractors to certify contractors, require business permits, and regulate who may perform irrigation work.

Introduced and adopted
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Bill Summary · H 4283

Summary — H 4283

Note on source material
- The materials provided combine two different measures from different jurisdictions: (1) a Massachusetts draft bill labeled House No. 4283 that would create a Board of Registration of Irrigation Contractors and establish a certification/permit regime for irrigation contractors; and (2) a South Carolina House resolution (filed April 3, 2025) recognizing and congratulating the Rock Hill High School girls wrestling team for winning the 2025 Class AAAAA state championship. The description below focuses on the substantive Massachusetts draft bill (House No. 4283) while also noting the separate South Carolina resolution included in the file.

Purpose and intent

  • Primary: Establish state oversight and a registration/certification system for irrigation contractors in Massachusetts to regulate who may design, install, maintain, repair, winterize or alter irrigation systems.
  • Secondary (separate document): A South Carolina House resolution honoring Rock Hill High School’s girls wrestling team for its 2025 state championship (ceremonial recognition, no regulatory effect).

Key provisions (Massachusetts draft bill — House No. 4283)

  • Creates a new Board of Registration of Irrigation Contractors (the “board”) in Chapter 13:
    • Seven governor-appointed members, all Massachusetts residents.
    • Composition: 4 members from the irrigation contracting industry (≥5 years’ experience), 2 with manufacturer/distributor experience, and 1 public representative who is a professional engineer or landscape architect.
    • Four-year staggered terms; at least two regular meetings per year; quorum = 4; members unpaid (reimbursed for expenses).
  • Adds new sections (290–299) to Chapter 112 defining terms and board authority:
    • Definitions include “certified irrigation contractor” (certification via the Irrigation Association as approved by the board), “business permit” (firm-level permit requiring at least one certified contractor on staff), “irrigation system” (underground systems for landscape irrigation, dust/erosion control; includes integral pumps and wiring beginning downstream of backflow prevention devices; excludes plumbing).
    • Board duties: review applications, issue/revoke certifications and business permits, assess penalties, require continuing education, maintain rosters, adopt regulations.
    • Prohibition: No person may perform irrigation contracting services or use the title “irrigation contractor” in the Commonwealth unless certified by the board; work may be performed under direct supervision of a certified contractor.

Who would be affected

  • Individual irrigation contractors (must obtain board certification).
  • Firms, partnerships, corporations doing irrigation contracting (must obtain a business permit and employ at least one certified contractor).
  • Manufacturers/distributors and professional irrigation designers (affected by board composition and definitions).
  • Consumers, property owners, and municipalities indirectly (reliability, safety, backflow and water management standards).

Procedural / timeline status (from supplied record)

  • Draft bill filed/processed in 2025:
    • Reported from the committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure — 2025-07-23.
    • Bill reported favorably and referred to House Ways and Means — 2025-07-23.
  • Separate South Carolina resolution recognizing Rock Hill HS girls wrestling team: introduced and adopted 2025-04-03 (ceremonial resolution; copy to Principal Ozzie Ahl and Coach Cain Beard).

Potential impact

  • Raises entry and operating requirements for irrigation contracting in the Commonwealth (licensure-like oversight).
  • Aims to improve consumer protection, uniform standards (including backflow connections), and professionalization of the trade.
  • May impose compliance costs on contractors and businesses (certification, continuing education, permitting) but could reduce improper installations and water-safety risks.

Recommendation
- Verify the jurisdiction and final legislative status (committee reports, Ways & Means action, and enactment) before relying on this summary for compliance or business planning.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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