H-1157.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1589

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Representatives Clements, Schoesler and Lisk

Read first time 01/30/2001.  Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

Exempting local governments from prevailing wages requirements.

    AN ACT Relating to the payment of prevailing wages in rural local governments; adding a new section to chapter 39.12 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  Local governments are continuously subject to demands for new or enhanced services.  These same jurisdictions are asked to reduce costs and operate more efficiently with limited revenues.  Jurisdictions in rural counties are particularly impacted by a declining economy.

    The legislature finds that local governments in rural counties are in need of financial assistance in order to maintain an adequate infrastructure.  Accordingly, the legislature exempts local governments in rural counties from the payment of prevailing wages on public works projects.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 39.12 RCW to read as follows:

    This chapter shall not apply to any rural county with a population under ten thousand, or any municipality or political subdivision with a population under ten thousand located in a rural county.  For the purposes of this section, "rural county" has the same meaning as in RCW 82.14.370(5).

                            --- END ---