MORE Government Action Results

2015 Government Action Results

Exemption from electrical licensing was defeated for those working in mines
Limited licensing did not pass for solar installations
Contractor license fees were lowered
Restrictions on the use of temporary employees did not pass. Make sure, however, that unlicensed electrical employees are registered with the MN Department of Labor.

MEA worked successfully with the Dept of Labor and Industry to rewrite the apprenticeship training laws to make them conform with the Federal Law and without doing harm to MEA’s apprenticeship program
MEA successfully opposed legislation that would have re-written the MN Electrical Act and eliminated the use of temporary employees
MEA successfully worked to repeal the business to business sales taxes that were enacted in 2013. Those taxes were applied to the sales of electronic equipment, repairs and maintenance agreements
MEA worked on tax policy that would make Minnesota tax law conform to the deductions available from the Federal government. Further, MEA supported state tax policy bills that increased the estate tax exemption and increased the exemption for gift taxes to $14k per individual per year

MEA supported an insurance indemnification bill that prohibits general contractors from requiring subcontractors to insure the general for negligence and risk claims. Further, all parties to a construction agreement will be responsible for insuring for their own negligence
MEA supported a bill that will provide incentives to the public for installing a solar system
MEA fought the sales tax on electronic equipment, repairs and maintenance agreements. In order to provide new revenue for projects funded by the legislature and the administration a new sales tax was added on business to business transactions. Electrical contractors will be responsible for adding and collecting sales tax for repairing and maintaining commercial and industrial machinery and equipment
MEA worked to modify a bill that would “ban the box” that is used on employment applications that requires workers to disclose if they have ever been arrested or convicted of a crime. MEA successfully kept the ability to ask for such information and perform background checks on any candidates an employer interviews or makes a job offer
MEA supported the passage of $176M bonding bill
MEA successfully educated legislators to oppose legislation that would require prevailing wage rates to be paid on all local units of government construction project

SF1983 eliminates annual removal of $1.5 million from Minnesota Department of Labor . . . The Governor signed the bill which repeals the $1.5 million removal effective 2015, and also reduces the current $5 surcharge to a $1 surcharge
MN DOLI cleanup bill passes . . . SF1653 makes changes to the current independent contractor exemption laws (changes do not apply to licensed electrical contractors), repeals the 2% withholding requirement effective June 30, 2012, and contains other administrative cleanup items
Bonding bill passed . . . a $500 million bonding bill was passed
Legislature passes Vikings stadium bill (HF2958/SF2469) . . . a bill authorizing funding for a new Vikings stadium passed

Budget bills approved by Legislature . . . 12 Special session bills were approved by the Legislature and will be signed by the Governor today ending the state shutdown
Jobs bill funding DOLI passed . . . the Jobs bill passed by the Legislature renews the $5 surcharge for electrical permits and makes assessment of surcharge retroactive to July 1. It also includes an additional $310,000 budget reduction in prevailing wage enforcement and training
Bonding bill included in budget . . . the budget includes a $500 million bonding bill