HB 155-PUBLIC CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS  3:25:40 PM CHAIR OLSON announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 155, "An Act relating to public construction contracts." 3:26:47 PM REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER moved to adopt the proposed committee substitute (CS) labeled 27-LS0249\I, Bannister, 3/17/11 as the working document. CHAIR OLSON objected for the purpose of discussion. [Version I was before the committee.] 3:27:22 PM JENNIFER SENETTE, Staff, Representative Kurt Olson, Alaska State Legislature, stated that the stakeholders were at odds but the parties worked to develop a consensus bill. 3:28:19 PM CHAIR OLSON agreed that the parties have worked for over a year on this issue but have developed a conceptual committee substitute (CS). 3:29:50 PM MS. SENETTE reviewed the three changes contained in the proposed committee substitute (CS) for HB 155, Version I. She related that the bill title has changed from a broader to a more specific title. The second change is that the threshold of when the Little Davis Bacon Act (LDBA) provisions would apply to projects is set at $25,000. The third change is that the definitions in proposed Section 8 of the bill have been removed. The definition for "maintenance" was a huge sticking point for some parties. She highlighted testimony before the committee as well as a 1983 attorney general's (AG) opinion. Those are the three changes to the bill and all the parties indicated they could "live with the changes." He commented that it appeared that this bill was a union versus nonunion issue, and a road service area (RSA) versus municipality issue. The proposed CS symbolizes that the issue did not attempt to target one group but to update an antiquated statute, in particular to update the dollar threshold amount for LDBA in Alaska to 2011. 3:32:22 PM DON ETHERIDGE, Lobbyist, Alaska State AFL-CIO, agreed that as Chair Olson and his staff indicated the parties reached a compromise. He stated that no one is happy but everyone came together. He offered his appreciation for Chair Olson's indulgence. He offered his support for the proposed Version I. 3:33:47 PM KATHIE WASSERMAN, Executive Director, Alaska Municipal League (AML), thanked the committee. She stated that although no one is happy with the result she worked with Mr. Etheridge and Ms. Huff Tuckness to consider the scenarios and potential results. She anticipated each will have members from their organizations with some push back, which is okay. She said she has conferred with Mr. Etheridge who agreed with the outcome. She reiterated her gratitude and summarized that she thought the bill represented an agreement that would be beneficial for everyone. 3:35:15 PM BARBARA HUFF TUCKNESS, Director, Governmental and Legislative Affairs, Teamsters Local 959, thanked members and reiterated previous testimony. She characterized the proposed CS for HB 155, Version I as a product that she supports and will continue to support as it goes through the legislative process. 3:36:43 PM REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked for the relationship between the threshold in the bill and filings with the Department of Labor & Workforce Development's (DLWD). MS. HUFF TUCKNESS answered that the $25,000 threshold would match the threshold currently established for a filing fee. 3:37:54 PM GREY MITCHELL, Director, Division of Labor Standards & Safety, agreed with Ms. Huff Tuckness that the $25,000 threshold would match the threshold currently established for a filing fee. This change would zero out fiscal note. The $25,000 threshold would be consistent for application of the LDBA and the filing fee requirement. CHAIR OLSON removed his objection. 3:39:19 PM REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER moved to report the proposed committee substitute (CS) for HB 155, labeled 27-LS0249\I, Bannister, 3/17/11, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal notes. There being no further objection, the CSHB 155(L&C) was reported from the House Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.