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Grieving father fights to change state law

Posted: Nov 23, 2009 10:04 PM
Updated: Nov 23, 2009 10:04 PM


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A Tucson father, who is grieving over the electrocution death of his young son a year and a half ago, has started lobbying to change state law to protect others.

Chuck Glover says he wants to pass what he calls DeShun's law.

DeShun Glover died July 25, 2008. He was electrocuted while he was standing in a puddle of water at a baseball field at Reid Park where he and his teammates were playing a game in the rain.

An investigation found fractures in an underground electrical box and electrical repairs below the minimum standard of care caused the death of the 8 year old.

Lightning was the first suspect in DeShun's death. But investigators quickly determined it was not an act of God, rather a mistake of man that killed the child.

The electrical wiring was faulty.

Chuck Glover says, "The person didn't do the job they were supposed to do."

Now, to try to prevent another tragedy, DeShun's father is working to change Arizona law to require electricians to be trained and licensed.

Glover says, "Basically anyone who wants to call themselves an electrician can call themselves an electrician and go out and do the work with no background whatsoever."

Tucson City Council member Nina Trasoff is helping push the proposal.

Trasoff says, "I was appalled to find out you have to have a license for somebody to do your nails, to do your hair. But electricians don't have to be licensed."

Glover believes better training might have saved his son.

He says, "There isn't one day that goes by that we're not thinking of him and what we could do to make it safer for other people. And I'm sure he's standing right there beside us when we're doing it."

Trasoff is calling on the legislature to pass a licensing law and to call it DeShun's law. On Tuesday she will ask the Mayor and entire City Council to help push for it.

Trasoff tells us similar proposals were defeated by the legislature in the past. Her office says the Communication Workers union objected those proposals were too broad and would have required licensing workers who handle even minimal amounts of electricity. Trasoff says the new proposal excludes them.

The Southern Arizona and Arizona branches of the National Electrical Contractors Association are helping Glover push the proposal.

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