Proposed Legislation Affecting the Construction Industry

Things are moving fast through the California legislature.  Valley Contractors Exchange, in conjunction with Chico Building Association, is working hard to stay up-to-date and keep you informed on proposed legislation affecting the construction industry.  Covid-19 might be reminding us to wash our hands and keep things clean, but it seems California’s lawmakers need the reminder that dirty politics are harmful too.

For example:

• AB-1839, which until May of this year was referred to as the “California Green New Deal”, is now being called the “California Covid-19 Recovery Deal”. In its strictest interpretation it would require Apprenticeship Requirements and Skilled and Trained on all Public Works projects.  This is actually an ‘improvement’ as it was recently amended to remove the requirement that all housing use only union labor.  What??? This is not a joke… CBIA is tracking this legislation and reports “This measure would require all housing to use only union labor at a cost increase of $140,000 to $200,000 for a 2,000 square foot home.  It would also eliminate privately funded low- and middle-income housing leaving California with only taxpayer subsidized housing to meet this segment of the market.”
• SB-1368 would ‘Impose penalties and liquidated damages on general contractors if a subcontractor – an entirely separate business – fails to pay their employees.’]
• The May revised budget looks to cut funding to CTE programs, while at the same time trying to insert Skilled and Trained, which we ALL know by now the requirements of which can’t be met in our rural community.