1231 AMH MANW TANG 082

HB 1231 - H AMD 751

By Representative Manweller

WITHDRAWN 02/16/2016

    Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

"Sec. 1.  RCW 39.12.015 and 1965 ex.s. c 133 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) All determinations of the prevailing rate of wage shall be made by the industrial statistician of the department of labor and industries.

(2) A pilot project is created to establish the prevailing rate of wage for the following trades: Cement masons; operating engineers; laborers in utilities construction; plasterers; telecommunications technicians; and divers. The prevailing rate of wage under the pilot project must be published no later than February 2018, and for those trades specified in (a) of this subsection, may be adjusted semiannually based on changes to the collective bargaining agreements. Under the pilot project, the industrial statistician shall establish the prevailing rate of wage as follows:

(a) For the trades of plasterer, telecommunications technician, and diver, the industrial statistician shall establish the prevailing rate of wage by adopting the hourly wage, usual benefits, and overtime pay established in collective bargaining agreements for the specified trades. If there is no collective bargaining agreement, the prevailing rate of wage is established by conducting wage surveys.

(b) For the trades of cement mason, operating engineer, and laborer in utilities construction, the industrial statistician shall establish the prevailing rate of wage by using a method that is not based on collective bargaining agreements.  The industrial statistician may use a stratified random sampling methodology. 

(c) The joint legislative audit and review committee, in consultation with the department of labor and industries and the prevailing wage advisory committee, shall conduct an assessment of the pilot project. The joint legislative audit and review committee may contract with an independent expert in prevailing wage to assist with the assessment. The assessment must evaluate which prevailing wage methodology generates the rate that best reflects the actual market wage rate.  The joint legislative audit and review committee shall submit a progress report by June 30, 2019, and the results of the assessment by June 30, 2021, to the appropriate committees of the legislature."

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  Section 1 of this act expires August 1, 2022."

     Correct the title.

EFFECT:  Strikes the underlying bill and instead:

(1) Creates a pilot project in which the prevailing wage rate for the trades of plasterer, telecommunications technician, and divers will be established based on collective bargaining agreements, and the trades of cement masons, operating engineers, and laborers in utilities construction will be established using a method that is not based on collective bargaining agreements.  Authorizes the use of stratified random sampling as a method.

(2) Requires the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) to conduct an assessment of the pilot project and evaluate which methodology generates the rate that best reflects the actual market wage rate.  Requires JLARC to report to the Legislature  in 2019 and 2021.

(3) Expires the pilot project August 1, 2022.

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