HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1637

                       As Passed House

                       March 12, 1993

Title:  An act relating to the definition of public work.

Brief Description:  Including municipal street railways in the definition of public work.

Sponsors:  Representatives Conway, Heavey, King, G. Cole, Basich, Kessler, G. Fisher, Karahalios, Jacobsen, Ogden and Veloria.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Commerce & Labor, February 24, 1993, DP;

  House Second Reading, March 11, 1993;

  Passed House, March 12, 1993, 62-36.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 6 members:  Representatives Heavey, Chair; G. Cole, Vice Chair; Conway; King; Springer; and Veloria.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 3 members:  Representatives Lisk, Ranking Minority Member; Chandler, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; and Horn.

Staff:  Marc Greenough (786-5793) and Chris Cordes (786‑7117).

Background:  State law regulates contracting procedures for public works.  Public works include all work, construction, alteration, repair, or improvement other than ordinary maintenance, executed at the cost of the state or of any municipality, excluding municipal street railways.  The exclusion for municipal street railways was made in the original act in 1923 apparently to avoid conflicting with another bill enacted that year that created local improvement districts for municipal street railways.

Summary of Bill:  The definition of public work is amended to delete the exclusion of municipal street railways.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  This bill confirms that prevailing wage rates will be paid in several anticipated multibillion dollar transit construction programs.  Construction workers would not support transit construction programs without assurance that prevailing wages will be paid.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  (In favor): Robert Dilger, Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council; and Allan Darr, International Union of Operating Engineers.