AN ACT Relating to compliance with apprenticeship utilization requirements; amending RCW 39.04.320; adding a new section to chapter 49.04 RCW; and providing an effective date.

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

Sec. 1.  RCW 39.04.320 and 2015 3rd sp.s. c 40 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1)(a) Except as provided in (b) through (d) of this subsection, from January 1, 2005, and thereafter, for all public works estimated to cost one million dollars or more, all specifications shall require that no less than fifteen percent of the labor hours be performed by apprentices.

(b)(i) This section does not apply to contracts advertised for bid before July 1, 2007, for any public works by the department of transportation.

(ii) For contracts advertised for bid on or after July 1, 2007, and before July 1, 2008, for all public works by the department of transportation estimated to cost five million dollars or more, all specifications shall require that no less than ten percent of the labor hours be performed by apprentices.

(iii) For contracts advertised for bid on or after July 1, 2008, and before July 1, 2009, for all public works by the department of transportation estimated to cost three million dollars or more, all specifications shall require that no less than twelve percent of the labor hours be performed by apprentices.

(iv) For contracts advertised for bid on or after July 1, 2015, and before July 1, 2020, for all public works by the department of transportation estimated to cost three million dollars or more, all specifications shall require that no less than fifteen percent of the labor hours be performed by apprentices.

(v) For contracts advertised for bid on or after July 1, 2020, for all public works by the department of transportation estimated to cost two million dollars or more, all specifications shall require that no less than fifteen percent of the labor hours be performed by apprentices.

(c)(i) This section does not apply to contracts advertised for bid before January 1, 2008, for any public works by a school district, or to any project funded in whole or in part by bond issues approved before July 1, 2007.

(ii) For contracts advertised for bid on or after January 1, 2008, for all public works by a school district estimated to cost three million dollars or more, all specifications shall require that no less than ten percent of the labor hours be performed by apprentices.

(iii) For contracts advertised for bid on or after January 1, 2009, for all public works by a school district estimated to cost two million dollars or more, all specifications shall require that no less than twelve percent of the labor hours be performed by apprentices.

(iv) For contracts advertised for bid on or after January 1, 2010, for all public works by a school district estimated to cost one million dollars or more, all specifications shall require that no less than fifteen percent of the labor hours be performed by apprentices.

(d)(i) For contracts advertised for bid on or after January 1, 2010, for all public works by a four-year institution of higher education estimated to cost three million dollars or more, all specifications must require that no less than ten percent of the labor hours be performed by apprentices.

(ii) For contracts advertised for bid on or after January 1, 2011, for all public works by a four-year institution of higher education estimated to cost two million dollars or more, all specifications must require that no less than twelve percent of the labor hours be performed by apprentices.

(iii) For contracts advertised for bid on or after January 1, 2012, for all public works by a four-year institution of higher education estimated to cost one million dollars or more, all specifications must require that no less than fifteen percent of the labor hours be performed by apprentices.

(2) Awarding entities may adjust the requirements of this section for a specific project for the following reasons:

(a) The demonstrated lack of availability of apprentices in specific geographic areas;

(b) A disproportionately high ratio of material costs to labor hours, which does not make feasible the required minimum levels of apprentice participation;

(c) Participating contractors have demonstrated a good faith effort to comply with the requirements of RCW 39.04.300 and 39.04.310 and this section; or

(d) Other criteria the awarding entity deems appropriate, which are subject to review by the office of the governor.

(3) The secretary of the department of transportation shall adjust the requirements of this section for a specific project for the following reasons:

(a) The demonstrated lack of availability of apprentices in specific geographic areas; or

(b) A disproportionately high ratio of material costs to labor hours, which does not make feasible the required minimum levels of apprentice participation.

(4)(a) This section applies to public works contracts awarded by the state, to public works contracts awarded by school districts, and to public works contracts awarded by state four-year institutions of higher education. However, this section does not apply to contracts awarded by state agencies headed by a separately elected public official.

(5)(a) The department of enterprise services must provide information and technical assistance to affected agencies and collect the following data from affected agencies for each project covered by this section:

(i) The name of each apprentice and apprentice registration number;

(ii) The name of each project;

(iii) The dollar value of each project;

(iv) The date of the contractor's notice to proceed;

(v) The number of apprentices and labor hours worked by them, categorized by trade or craft;

(vi) The number of journey level workers and labor hours worked by them, categorized by trade or craft; and

(vii) The number, type, and rationale for the exceptions granted under subsection (2) of this section.

(b) The department of labor and industries shall assist the department of enterprise services in providing information and technical assistance.

(6) The secretary of transportation shall establish an apprenticeship utilization advisory committee, which shall include statewide geographic representation and consist of equal numbers of representatives of contractors and labor. The committee must include at least one member representing contractor businesses with less than thirty-five employees. The advisory committee shall meet regularly with the secretary of transportation to discuss implementation of this section by the department of transportation, including development of the process to be used to adjust the requirements of this section for a specific project.

(7) At the request of the senate labor, commerce, research and development committee, the house of representatives commerce and labor committee, or their successor committees, and the governor, the department of enterprise services and the department of labor and industries shall compile and summarize the agency data and provide a joint report to both committees. The report shall include recommendations on modifications or improvements to the apprentice utilization program and information on skill shortages in each trade or craft.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 49.04 RCW to read as follows:

(1) In addition to the duties established under RCW 49.04.030, the supervisor of apprenticeship must verify compliance by contractors, subcontractors, and awarding agencies of apprenticeship utilization requirements. The supervisor may coordinate with the department of enterprise services, the state department of transportation, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, and any other appropriate agency or organization to assist in tracking compliance.

(2) Compliance information must be made available to the apprenticeship council and must be used to determine compliance for purposes of RCW 39.04.350 and 39.12.055.

(3) The director of labor and industries must adopt rules to implement this section.

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