Wednesday, March 12, 2014

GLASS Report: Legislative Action Alert: House Bill 796: Regular Session 2013-2014 (Updated September 23, 2014)



Short Title: An Act amending the act of August 15, 1961 (P.L.987, No.442), known as the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act, raising the threshold for applicability; further providing for specifications; and providing for protection of workmen.

Prime Sponsor: Representative MILLARD

Last Action:Removed from table, Sept. 23, 2014




Laid on the table, Sept. 23, 2014
Removed from table, June 26, 2014
Laid on the table, June 26, 2014
Removed from table, May 6, 2014
Laid on the table, May 6, 2014
Removed from table, March 12, 2014
Laid on the table, March 12, 2014
Removed from table, Dec. 17, 2013
Laid on the table, Dec. 17, 2013
Removed from table, Oct. 21, 2013
Laid on the table, Oct. 21, 2013
Re-reported as committed from APPROPRIATIONS, June 29, 2013
(Remarks see House Journal Page 1372), June 28, 2013
Re-committed to APPROPRIATIONS, June 28, 2013
Second consideration, June 28, 2013
Removed from table, June 11, 2013
Laid on the table, April 16, 2013
First consideration, April 16, 2013
PN 1496 Reported as amended from LABOR AND INDUSTRY, April 16, 2013  
PN 0907 Referred to LABOR AND INDUSTRY, Feb. 25, 2013




Printer's No.
Text
(H) Amendments
(S) Amendments
(H) Fiscal Note
(S) Fiscal Note
1496*





907





MEMORANDUM
Posted:
January 31, 2013 11:22 AM
From:
To:
All House members
Subject:
Legislation to Increase the Prevailing Wage Threshold



In the near future I will introduce legislation which would raise the threshold of the Prevailing Wage Act from $25,000 to $75,000.

The Prevailing Wage Act requires that all public bodies pay the prevailing minimum wage, as determined by the Secretary of Labor and Industry, to workmen on a “public works project”. A “public work” is defined in the Act as any construction, repair, demolition, or alteration paid for in whole (or in part) out of the funds of a public body where the total estimated cost exceeds $25,000.

It is important to note that the prevailing wage threshold has not changed since the Kennedy Administration and that there is no cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for the threshold in current law. At today’s cost levels, the $25,000 prevailing wage threshold virtually applies to every infrastructure project.

In the meantime, cost-of- living has increased sevenfold, public construction costs have skyrocketed, and our local government organizations are struggling to keep costs down, keep property taxes under control, and balance their budgets.

The US Department of Labor’s CPI Inflation Calculator indicates that if the $25,000 threshold were to be adjusted for inflation, it would equate to roughly $187,576 in today’s dollars. I believe my legislation is an extremely fair, pragmatic proposal which will allow for necessitous projects to be addressed by municipalities and school districts throughout the Commonwealth. 

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