2019 Government Action Results

• Conservation Improvement Plan efforts to limit the program were killed protecting energy efficiency rebates for our contractor’s projects.
• 1 Billion Capital Improvement/Bonding bill passed.
• Duty to Defend did not pass.
• Prompt Payment regulation requiring payment of subcontractors after substantial completion of the project passed.
• Residential Solar provisions to require residential solar installers to maintain a residential contractor license as well as an electrical contractor license were defeated.;

2018 Government Action Results

• Pathway to Licensure, a bill allowing for the sharing of electricians between contractors, did not pass.  More grassroots efforts are needed in this area.
• Conservation Improvement Plan efforts to limit the program were killed protecting energy efficiency rebates for our contractor’s projects.
• 1.5 Billion Capital Improvement/Bonding bill passed.
• Duty to Defend did not pass.
• Prompt Payment regulation did not pass.
• Federal Tax Conformance did not pass.
• Solar Installer Ratio expanding the journeyworker electrical solar installer ratio to supervise up to 5 registered unlicensed installers failed to pass.
• Construction Code Rules – Legislation that would require DLI to inform the legislature of any rule that would add $1,000 or more to the cost of construction of a residence failed to pass.

2017 Government Action Results

• Building permit fees and surcharges have been reduced by as much as 20%.
• Business property tax on commercial structures was reduced.
• Electrical license fees were lowered.
• A $998 billion capital improvement (bonding) bill passed which should mean more opportunities to bid on state and local government electrical work.

2016 Government Action Results

• Unemployment comp tax reduction legislation passed and signed into law. This important bill will cut employers UC tax rates in the amount of $265M. Every employer should get some reduction.
• Family and Medical Benefits and Leave (PTO) SF 2558 failed
• Retainage bills HF2451 and SF1898 passed. This bill provides for a 5% retainage cap on a construction project
• Duty to Defend bill HF1099/SF924 FAILED but it will be back in 2017. The bill provides that subcontractors will not have to defend a general contract against a liability claim for damages due to their negligence. After passing out of committees where the disagreements between general and subcontractors were quite prominent—the bills are ready to be voted on by the full House and Senate.
• Construction Career Pathways grant. PASSED HF3658 would provide $1,000,000 in workforce development funds to the Construction Careers Foundation to promote construction industry careers to middle and high school youth, disadvantaged and minority youths, parents, counselors; increase the number of high schools offering construction classes during the academic year; increase summer internship opportunities in union programs and help students get construction jobs after graduation.
• Responsible Contractor law FAILED. An industry work group has been assembled and will meet over the summer to develop proposals that will improve the current law.
• Energy and CIP funding reduction bills FAILED to pass.
• A solar panel and fire code bill PASSED. This bill allows school districts to use their repair and maintenance funding for updating solar panel safety switches consistent with the current electrical and fire codes. This bill will most likely be included in the omnibus education finance bill.
• Construction code transfer bill HF 2839 FAILED. The bill would transfer the functions of the construction code division from DOLI to the Dept of Public Safety.
• Workers comp reform bill PASSED. This bill made technical corrections to current law and attempted to reduce worker’s compensation rates through caps on medical charges
• DLI Rules timeframe PASSED. Typically, it takes 270 days for rules to become effective once they are published. The language in this bill would allow NEC rules to be adopted sooner for public safety reasons. New code generally means more safety.