SENATE BILL REPORT
SB 5604
As Reported by Senate Committee On:
Labor, Commerce & Tribal Affairs, January 31, 2022
Title: An act relating to adding references to contractor licensing laws in workers' compensation, public works, and prevailing wage statutes.
Brief Description: Adding references to contractor licensing laws in workers' compensation, public works, and prevailing wage statutes.
Sponsors: Senators Keiser, Conway and Wilson, C.; by request of Department of Labor & Industries.
Brief History:
Committee Activity: Labor, Commerce & Tribal Affairs: 1/12/22, 1/31/22 [DP, DNP].
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Adds references to the plumbing contractor licensing statute to existing public works, prevailing wage, and workers' compensation laws. 
SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, COMMERCE & TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Majority Report: Do pass.
Signed by Senators Keiser, Chair; Conway, Vice Chair, Labor; Stanford, Vice Chair, Commerce & Tribal Affairs; King, Ranking Member; Braun, Rivers, Robinson and Saldaña.
Minority Report: Do not pass.
Signed by Senator Schoesler.
Staff: Jarrett Sacks (786-7448)
Background:

General and specialty contractors are required to register with the Department of Labor and Industries.  In addition to registering, contractors must follow requirements relating to advertising, bonds and insurance, and other matters.  Other statutes, including various public works, prevailing wage, and workers' compensation laws make references to the contractor registration laws. 

 

Prior to 2020, plumbing contractors registered under the general construction contractor registration laws.  In 2020, the Legislature passed SB 6170, which created a separate plumbing contractor licensing law, requiring plumbing contractors to register under the new law rather than the general construction contractor registration laws. 
Summary of Bill:

References to the plumbing contractor licensing statute are added to the following statutes:

  • the responsible bidder criteria for public works contracts;
  • the requirement that a public works contractor must verify the responsibility criteria for certain subcontractors;
  • statutes regarding liens and collection of unpaid prevailing wages, as well as the contractor debarment statute;
  • the independent contractor criteria for the purposes of state prevailing wage and workers' compensation laws; and 
  • state workers' compensation laws regarding out of state employers covering workers in Washington, record keeping, prime contractor liability for workers' compensation premiums, and stop work orders for failing to provide workers' compensation coverage. 

 

A general reference to other state laws that require a contractor license or registration is also added to the responsible bidder criteria for public works contracts and the independent contractor criteria for prevailing wage.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Creates Committee/Commission/Task Force that includes Legislative members: No.
Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

PRO:  This bill is a follow up to the previous plumbing bill that passed in 2020, and it restores references in workers' compensation, prevailing wage, and public works laws that used to apply to plumbing contractors when they used to register as general contractors.
Persons Testifying: PRO: Senator Karen Keiser, Prime Sponsor; Tammy Fellin, Labor & Industries.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: No one.