HB 677 — An Act amending the act of July 14, 1961 (P.L.604, No.304), known as The Apprenticeship and Training Act, further providing for powers and duties; providing for supervision; and abrogating a regulation.

PRINTER'S NO.   691

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 677
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY GLEIM, GREINER, M. MACKENZIE, JAMES, D'ORSIE,
        BARGER, STAMBAUGH, PICKETT, MALONEY, ZIMMERMAN, COOK,
        MENTZER, KAUFFMAN, HAMM, ANDERSON, T. JONES AND O'NEAL,
        FEBRUARY 20, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND INDUSTRY, FEBRUARY 20, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of July 14, 1961 (P.L.604, No.304), entitled
 2      "An act relating to apprenticeship and training; creating a
 3      State Apprenticeship and Training Council in the Department
 4      of Labor and Industry to formulate an apprenticeship and
 5      training policy and program, and defining its powers and
 6      duties and providing for administration," further providing
 7      for powers and duties; providing for supervision; and
 8      abrogating a regulation.
 9      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
10   hereby enacts as follows:
11      Section 1.    Section 4(a) of the act of July 14, 1961
12   (P.L.604, No.304), known as The Apprenticeship and Training Act,
13   is amended to read:
14      Section 4.    Powers and Duties.--(a) The council shall (1)
15   establish standards for apprenticeship in conformity with the
16   provisions of this act and applicable statutes and regulations
17   of the Federal Government; (2) adopt such rules and regulations,
18   subject [only] to section 4.1 and the approval of the Secretary
19   of Labor and Industry, as may be necessary to carry out the
20   intent and purpose of this act; (3) compile such data on
 1   population and employment trends, industrial production,
 2   vocational and industrial education and job requirements as may
 3   be deemed necessary to carry out the intent and purpose of this
 4   act; (4) to terminate or cancel any apprenticeship agreements in
 5   accordance with the provisions of such agreements or order
 6   modifications of such agreements; (5) maintain close liaison
 7   with Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training, the United States
 8   Department of Labor, the State Board of Vocational Education,
 9   the Department of Public Instruction, the Department of
10   Commerce, Bureau of Rehabilitation of the Department of Labor
11   and Industry, and Juvenile Forestry Camps under the Department
12   of Public Welfare, and such other agencies which carry on
13   programs closely related to the purposes of this act; (6)
14   conduct studies, surveys and investigations of the special
15   problems of retraining or training unemployed or employed
16   persons to improve or modernize work skills and make appropriate
17   recommendations to cooperating agencies described above, local
18   community organizations, local school boards and the Secretary
19   of Labor and Industry; (7) act as a convening agency in local
20   communities to bring together local representatives of employes,
21   employers, educational agencies and industrial development
22   agencies in order to promote closer local cooperation in
23   establishing better apprenticeship and other training programs
24   including programs for employed persons who wish to improve and
25   modernize their work skills; (8) use appropriate media of
26   information and education to acquaint employers, employes and
27   the public at large with the advantages and availability of
28   apprenticeship and other occupational training programs; (9)
29   study the effectiveness of apprenticeship agreements and make
30   recommendations in accordance with the provisions of such

20250HB0677PN0691                 - 2 -
 1   agreements for their improvement; and (10) perform such other
 2   duties as may be necessary to give full effect to the provisions
 3   of this act.
 4      * * *
 5      Section 2.    The act is amended by adding a section to read:
 6      Section 4.1.    Supervision.--(a)   Rules and regulations under
 7   section 4(a)(2) providing for the ratio of apprentices to
 8   journeymen must be consistent with proper supervision, training
 9   and continuity of employment. Subject to subsection (c), the
10   rules and regulations may not require any of the following:
11      (1)    More than three supervisors for each apprentice or
12   trainee in a high-hazard occupation.
13      (2)    More than two supervisors for each apprentice or trainee
14   in a medium-hazard occupation.
15      (3)    More than one supervisor for each apprentice or trainee
16   in a low-hazard occupation.
17      (b)    The hazard level of an occupation shall be determined by
18   a review of the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of
19   Labor Statistics occupational fatality rate per one hundred
20   thousand full-time equivalent employes. The following shall
21   apply:
22      (1)    The determination of the hazard level shall be based on
23   the average fatality rates for the last three full calendar
24   years for which data is available, as follows:
25      (i)    A fatality rate of nine or more fatalities per one
26   hundred thousand full-time equivalent employes shall be a high-
27   hazard occupation.
28      (ii)    A fatality rate greater than two and less than nine
29   fatalities per one hundred thousand full-time equivalent
30   employes shall be a medium-hazard occupation.

20250HB0677PN0691                   - 3 -
 1      (iii)   A fatality rate of two or fewer fatalities per one
 2   hundred thousand full-time equivalent employes shall be a low-
 3   hazard occupation.
 4      (2)    No later than January 31 of each year, the review under
 5   this subsection must be completed.
 6      (3)    No later than March 1 of each year, the Department of
 7   Labor and Industry shall:
 8      (i)    Compile the average fatality rates for each occupation
 9   and a list of the occupations for which the hazard level and
10   ratio requirement have changed.
11      (ii)    Transmit the information under subparagraph (i) to the
12   Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the next
13   available issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
14      (4)    No later than April 30 of each year, the Department of
15   Labor and Industry shall notify in writing each program sponsor
16   that is impacted by a change to an occupational hazard level or
17   a different ratio requirement.
18      (5)    A change to an occupational hazard level or ratio
19   requirement shall take effect July 1 of the year in which the
20   publication is made under paragraph (3)(ii).
21      (c)    Notwithstanding the limits in subsection (a), the
22   following shall apply:
23      (1)    When an apprentice or trainee is employed by an
24   enterprise that employs fewer than fifty full-time equivalent
25   employes, rules and regulations under section 4(a)(2) providing
26   for the ratio of apprentices to journeymen may not require more
27   than one supervisor for each of the first three apprentices or
28   trainees employed. If more than three apprentices or trainees
29   are employed, rules and regulations may not require more than
30   three supervisors for every two apprentices or trainees employed

20250HB0677PN0691                   - 4 -
 1   after the first three apprentices or trainees.
 2      (2)   Rules and regulations under section 4(a)(2) providing
 3   for the ratio of apprentices to journeymen shall provide for
 4   consistent ratios between joint and nonjoint programs. If the
 5   prevailing practice among joint programs for a specific
 6   occupation in this Commonwealth, as evidenced by collective
 7   bargaining agreements, allows less supervision than required by
 8   rules and regulations issued under section 4(a)(2), a nonjoint
 9   program for the same occupation shall be allowed to utilize a
10   ratio of apprentices to journeymen that is consistent with the
11   prevailing practice among joint programs.
12      Section 3.   The provisions of 34 Pa. Code § 83.5(b)(7) are
13   abrogated.
14      Section 4.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




20250HB0677PN0691                  - 5 -