This bill adds a new section to chapter 19.28 RCW and requires the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) to adopt rules clarifying and defining the scope of work that HVAC/refrigeration specialty-certified electricians may perform on mini-split HVAC systems. Under the rules L&I must adopt, those certified individuals may install, repair, replace, and maintain the electrical connections between outdoor compressor or condenser units and indoor evaporator or air‑handling units of mini‑split systems when three conditions are met: the work follows the manufacturer's installation instructions; the equipment is certified for use as a system by an electrical product testing laboratory accredited by the department; and the electrical work is limited to circuits, wiring methods, and equipment integral to the operation of the mini‑split system. The department may, by rule, set reasonable limitations (for example on voltage, amperage, building occupancy, construction type, and installation conditions) consistent with public safety and existing electrical code requirements. The section also states that nothing in it limits L&I’s authority to regulate electrical work, issue specialty certifications, or enforce the National Electrical Code and state electrical standards, but rules adopted under the section may not prohibit HVAC/refrigeration specialty electricians from performing the authorized work. This is a procedural and scope-of-practice change: it directs rulemaking and expands the permitted electrical work for a specialty certification rather than creating a new crime or altering penalties. Affected parties named in the text include L&I, individuals holding the HVAC/refrigeration specialty electrician certification, electrical product testing laboratories accredited by the department, and equipment manufacturers. The bill is identified as House Bill H-2707.1 / 2378 (69th Legislature, 2026 Regular Session), prefiled 01/09/26, read first time 01/12/26, and referred to the Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards. The text provided does not include a specific deadline for L&I to adopt the rules, does not provide statutory definitions for key terms used (for example the certification, mini‑split systems, or accreditation criteria for testing laboratories), and does not specify numeric limits for voltage or amperage, effective dates, enforcement mechanisms, or fiscal impacts.

If enacted, the Department of Labor and Industries will be required to write rules that let electricians with an HVAC/refrigeration specialty certification install, repair, replace, and maintain the electrical connections between outdoor compressor/condenser units and indoor evaporator/air‑handling units on mini‑split systems, as long as they follow the manufacturer's installation instructions, the equipment is certified by a department‑accredited electrical testing lab, and the work is limited to the circuits and wiring that are integral to the mini‑split system. The department can also set safety limits (for example on voltage or amperage and certain building or installation conditions), and it keeps its general authority to regulate electrical work and enforce code compliance. The people most affected are HVAC/refrigeration specialty electricians, who would gain a clearer, likely expanded set of permitted tasks and therefore could do more mini‑split electrical work without bringing in a general electrician, which may lower customer costs and speed installations. The Department of Labor and Industries must do the rulemaking but the text gives no deadline, budget, or specific technical limits, and it does not define key terms like the specialty certification or lab accreditation, so the exact scope, timing, and any fiscal or enforcement impacts remain uncertain.