What Legislation is AGC Tracking in Olympia?
Business Regulations
Retro: Oppose Senate Bill 6035
AGCs Legislative Action Alert: Yes Status: Senate Rules Committee
The Senate is considering legislation what would impact your Retro program. Tell your state Senator that you dont need their protection from your Retro association! Senate Bill 6035 restricts refund flexibility ignores the risk assumed by retro associations and holds retro association to a different standard than would apply to the rest of the State Fund for funds use. SB 6035 is bad public policy. (Staff: Rick Slunaker & Christine Swanson)
Apprenticeship Quotas: Oppose Senate Bill 5873
Status: Passed out of the Senate (yeas 28; nays 18; absent 2; excused 1)
Senate Bill 5873 would extend quota requirements to Higher Education and add violations of apprentice regulations as elements in both determining bidder responsibility as well as a possible Prevailing Wage strike for bidding eligibility purposes. AGC secured amendments to the bill which remove the requirement that applies quotas by trade and craft and which require the Apprenticeship Council to adopt rules protecting due process and strengthening accountability for apprentice committees which arent enforcing their program standards. (Staff: Rick Slunaker)
Unemployment Insurance: Support Senate Bill 5963
AGCs Legislative Action Alert: Yes Status: Senate Rules Committee
SB 5963 will bring Washington State into conformity with the federal government lower unemployment insurance taxes for most employers and make it clear when a worker can voluntarily leave their job and receive unemployment insurance benefits. (Staff: Christine Swanson)
Restricts Contact With Medical Providers: Oppose House Bill 1402
AGCs Legislative Action Alert: Yes Status: House Rules Committee
House Bill 1402 prohibits communication between the Department or employer or employer representative with the claimants health care provider once an appeal is filed. The main concern is that legislation removes a tool that is very useful in claims management and management of appeals. (Staff: Christine Swanson)
Prohibiting Certain Employer Communications: Oppose House Bill 1528 & Senate Bill 5446
Status: HB 1528 House Rules Committee & SB 5446 Senate Rules Committee
This legislation prohibits an employers communication with employees in a required meeting or other setting when the content of the communication has to do with political or religious matters. Basically it limits the free right of an employer to engage in non-coercive communications with its employees about labor unions. The measure has 46 sponsors in the House. (Staff: Christine Swanson)
Public Works Contracting
Subcontractors Bid Listing: Oppose Senate Bill 5969
AGCs Legislative Action Alert: Yes Status: Senate Rules Committee
Senate Bill 5969 would change subcontractor bid listing requirements complicating the requirements your company must meet when bidding public works construction. The proposed changes to subcontractor bid listing are both unnecessary and unwanted. They will result in shifts of the burden of proof and make it more likely that errors bid protests and litigation will occur. Organized labor is the proponent of the bill while all contractor associations are uniformly opposed to any changes in current law. (Staff: Van Collins)
UW and WSU Contracting Procedures: Oppose House Bill 1916 & Senate Bill 5760
AGC Legislative Alert: Under construction Status: HB 1916 House Rules Committee & SB 5760
Passed the Senate (yeas 37; nays 5; absent 1; excused 6)
This bill would authorize the UW and WSU to create any alternative contracting procedure they choose if the funding for a project is not state appropriated. The bill further authorizes the use of prequalification of contractors and the limiting of the number of proposers on a project. (Staff: Van Collins)
Alternative Public Works Contracting: Support House Bill 1690
Status: Passed the House (yeas 97; nays 0; absent 0; excused 0)
This bill would limit the Universities authority to create alternative procurement procedures outside of RCW 39.10 which includes the current available options of design-build GC/CM and Job Order Contracting. (Staff: Van Collins)
Off-site Prefabrication: Oppose House Bill 1836
Status: House Rules Committee
This bill is being promoted by labor and its ultimate purpose is to obtain wage and hour information on out-of-state fabricators. It creates a contractual requirement that contractors and subs provide a list identifying all such fabricators that will supply certain non-standard items. (Staff: Van Collins)
Environmental
Climate Pollution in the Built Environment: Oppose House Bill 1747 & Senate Bill 5854
AGC Legislative Alert: under construction Status: HB 1747 Passed House & SB 5854 Senate Rules Committee
These bills would use the 2006 Energy Code immediately as a baseline for further efficiency improvements 70% by 2031. It directs CTED and the Building Code Council to figure out how to do it. (Staff: Van Collins)
Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions through GMA: Oppose House Bill 1490
Status: House Rules Committee
This is the latest GMA Climate Change bill and was drafted by Futurewise. Unlike last years bill it does not add either a new element to comprehensive plans or a 14th policy goal. Instead it modifies existing elements and goals. Notably the major onus is placed on local jurisdictions which are in numerous places required to . . . support state greenhouse gas emissions reduction requirements. The bill also calls for compact and transit oriented development. (Staff: Van Collins)
Reducing Greenhouse Gas: Oppose House Bill 1819
Status: House Rules Committee
House Bill 1819 is the Governors request bill for implementation of a Cap and Trade system. Among other things this bill will increase the prices of materials fuel energy. (Staff: Van Collins)
Transportation
Covered Loads: Oppose Senate Bill 5846
Status: Senate Rules Committee
Senate Bill 5846 makes changes to load covering requirements. The bill retains the 6 freeboard exemption until Jan. 1 2014. It also requires that all trucks with a GVW rating of more than 16000 pounds manufactured for model year 2011 and newer to be equipped with covering devices (if designed primarily to carry dirt sand or gravel). The net effect of this new draft is to place a requirement on owners to cover loads and to train the driver in the importance of this requirement. (Staff: Rick Slunaker)
Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project: Support Senate Bill 5768
Status: Passed out of the Senate (yeas 43; nays 6; absent 0; excused 0)
SB 5768 expedites the environmental review and design processes to replace the viaduct and requires the tunnel to be located under 1st Ave in Seattle. The tunnel replacement plan must include state funding not to exceed $2.4 billion and must also include $400 million in toll revenue. These funds must be used solely to build a replacement tunnel and to remove the existing viaduct structure. State funding may not be used for any utility relocation costs or for central seawall or waterfront promenade improvements. (Staff: Duke Schaub)
Economic Stimulus Transportation Funding: Support House Bill 1978
Status: Governor has signed into law
The Washington State Department of Transportation is authorized to spend up to $341.4 million in federal funding provided through federal funding. The Legislatures priorities in allocating the federal funds are to: maintain commitments made with the Nickel and Transportation Partnership Acts fill funding gaps in the states preservation backlog and address the lack of funding for statewide safety improvements. Also funds 35 projects across the state. (Staff: Rick Slunaker & Duke Schaub)