Legislature(2011 - 2012)SENATE FINANCE 532
04/17/2011 10:00 AM Senate FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB99 | |
| HB155 | |
| HB183 | |
| HB106 | |
| HB183 | |
| HB155 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 99 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 155 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 183 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 106 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 155(L&C)
"An Act relating to the applicability of prevailing
wage rates to public construction contracts; and, with
regard to public construction contracts, relating to
notifications, bonding notifications, filings,
notices, primary contractors, final payments,
penalties, advertised specifications, required
contract provisions, terminations, lists of violating
contractors, and remedies."
10:39:52 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KURT OLSEN, SPONSOR, introduced HB 155 that
updated an antiquated statute that had been implemented in
1935. He explained that the current trigger point on
"Little Davis Bacon" jobs was $2000.
Co-Chair Stedman asked Representative Olsen to explain the
term Davis Bacon.
Representative Olsen explained that Little Davis Bacon
covered state jobs and required certified payroll
prevailing wages to be paid on public jobs in
municipalities, boroughs, and school districts that were in
excess of $2000 in the State of Alaska. He expounded that
the $2000 had been set by the federal government in 1935
and had not been changed. In 1935 the prevailing wage had
been approximately $0.50 per hour; however, some of the
artisan rates were up to $1.35 or $1.40 an hour. The
legislation would take the limit up to $25,000 as a result
of collaborations between the Alaska Municipal League and
two state-wide unions. The $25,000 limit was close to the
number that inflation would have adjusted it for. The
number would be large enough to provide a meaningful and
valuable number to the municipalities, but would still be
small enough to prevent outside firms from bidding on
smaller jobs. He relayed that no opposition had been
expressed regarding the proposed limit change. He thanked
Barbara Huff, President of the Local 959 Alaska Teamsters;
Don Etheridge AFL-CIO; and Kathy Wasserman, Executive
Director of the Alaska Municipal League for their work on
the bill. He thanked his staff and others.
10:43:33 AM
Co-Chair Stedman explained that the intent was to report
the bill out of committee at subsequent meeting. He noted
that there was a zero fiscal note from the Department of
Labor and Workforce Development.
CSHB 155(L&C) was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
[Note: CSHB 155(L&C) was heard again during the meeting and
appears later in the minutes]
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 155(L&C)
"An Act relating to the applicability of prevailing
wage rates to public construction contracts; and, with
regard to public construction contracts, relating to
notifications, bonding notifications, filings,
notices, primary contractors, final payments,
penalties, advertised specifications, required
contract provisions, terminations, lists of violating
contractors, and remedies."
1:08:32 PM
Co-Chair Hoffman MOVED to report CSHB 155(L&C) out of
committee with individual recommendations and the
accompanying fiscal note.
CSHB 155(L&C) was REPORTED out of committee with a "do
pass" recommendation and with previously published fiscal
note: FN1 (LWF).
1:09:15 PM
Co-Chair Hoffman MOVED to ask unanimous consent that the
Senate Finance Committee authorize the chair of the
Committee to expend an amount not to exceed $200,000 in
Senate Finance Committee funds to acquire the contractual
services necessary to conduct a detailed study of oil and
gas employment on Alaska's North Slope that included an
analysis of work activities, job classifications, wages,
contractual labor and hiring practices and the industry's
use of resident versus non-resident employment.
Co-Chair Stedman OBJECTED for the purpose of discussion.
Co-Chair Stedman explained that the committee had received
conflicting employment information from the industry and
the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The
issue needed to be sorted out in order for the committee to
have a discussion the following session. He expounded that
the study should be conducted during the fall to allow the
Senate Labor and Commerce Committee time to review the
findings prior to the conclusion of its dialogue on the oil
and gas situation in the Arctic.
Co-Chair Stedman WITHDREW his OBJECTION.
There being NO further OBJECTION it was so ordered.
1:10:36 PM
RECESSED