SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5873

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

State & Local Government, February 6, 2002

Title:  An act relating to revising certain day labor limits to account for inflation.

Brief Description:  Revising certain day labor limits to account for inflation.

Sponsors:  Senators Patterson, Horn, Haugen, McCaslin, Kline, Fairley and Gardner.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  State & Local Government:  2/21/01, 3/5/01 [DP]; 2/6/02 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass.

Signed by Senators Gardner, Chair; Fairley, Vice Chair; Hale, Haugen, Horn, Keiser, Kline, Roach, T. Sheldon and Swecker.

Staff:  Eugene Green (786‑7405)

Background:  A first class city may have public works performed by public employees, including county employees, in any budget period up to 10 percent of its public works construction budget.  Within this 10 percent limitation, a first class city with a population in excess of 150,000 (Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane), cannot perform by day labor a public works project in excess of $50,000 if more than a single craft or trade is involved, or a public works project in excess of $25,000 if only a single craft or trade is involved or the public works project is street signalization or street lighting.  For a first class city with a population below 150,000 the parallel bid limits are $35,000 and $20,000.  Bid limits for a second class city, town, or code city are $30,000 and $20,000, respectively.

Summary of Bill:  The bid limits of a first class city with a population over 150,000 are raised to $70,000, or $90,000 after January 1, 2010, for a public works project if more than a single craft or trade is involved and to $35,000, or $45,000 after January 1, 2010, if only a single craft or trade is involved or the public works project is street signalization or street lighting.  For a first class city with a population below 150,000, the bid limits are raised to $50,000, or $65,000 after January 1, 2010, and $30,000, or $40,000 after January 1, 2010, respectively.  Bid limits for a second class city, town, or code city are raised to $45,000, or $60,000 after January 1, 2010, and $30,000, or $45,000 after January 1, 2010, respectively.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For (from 2/01):  This will allow cities to use their employees more efficiently.  The new limits in July will only reflect inflation since the last day labor limit change in 1987.

Testimony Against (from 2/01):  Our people depend on this work and we do it better, for less cost.

Testified (from 2/01):  Jim Justin, AWC (pro); Pat Thompson, County and City Employees (pro); Rick Slunaker, Associated General Contractors (con); Michael Transue, Utility Contractors Association of WA (con); Larry Stevens, MCA, NECA (con).