Bill Text: CA SB418 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Public contracts: skilled and trained workforce.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2017-09-30 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 393, Statutes of 2017. [SB418 Detail]

Download: California-2017-SB418-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Assembly  June 20, 2017

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 418

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Introduced by Senator Hernandez

February 15, 2017

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An act to amend Section 1720 of the Labor 2601 of the Public Contract Code, relating to public works. contracts.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 418, as amended, Hernandez. Public works: public subsidies. contracts: skilled and trained workforce.

Existing law defines a “skilled and trained workforce” to mean a workforce that meets certain conditions for when a public entity is required by statute or regulation to obtain an enforceable commitment that a bidder, contractor, or other entity will use a skilled and trained workforce to complete a contract or project. Existing law also authorizes a public entity to require that a bidder, contractor, or other entity use a skilled and trained workforce to complete a contract or project.

This bill would revise the definition of a “skilled and trained workforce” to exclude from the conditions work performed on or after January 1, 2018, in specified occupations.

Existing law requires that, except as specified, not less than the general prevailing rate of per diem wages, determined by the Director of Industrial Relations, be paid to workers employed on public works projects. Existing law defines “public works” to include, among other things, construction, alteration, demolition, installation, or repair work done under contract and paid for, in whole or in part, out of public funds, but exempts from that definition, among other projects, an otherwise private development project if the state or political subdivision provides, directly or indirectly, a public subsidy to the private development project that is de minimis in the context of the project.

This bill would provide that a public subsidy is de minimis if it is both less than $275,000, and less than 2% of the total project cost. The bill would specify that those provisions do not apply to a project that was advertised for bid, or a contract that was awarded, before July 1, 2018.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 2601 of the Public Contract Code is amended to read:

2601.

 For purposes of this chapter:

(a) “Apprenticeable occupation” means an occupation for which the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards of the Department of Industrial Relations had approved an apprenticeship program pursuant to Section 3075 of the Labor Code before January 1, 2014.

(b) “Chief” means the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards of the Department of Industrial Relations.

(c) “Graduate of an apprenticeship program” means either of the following:

(1) An individual that has been issued a certificate of completion under the authority of the California Apprenticeship Council for completing an apprenticeship program approved by the chief pursuant to Section 3075 of the Labor Code.

(2) An individual that has completed an apprenticeship program located outside California and approved for federal purposes pursuant to the apprenticeship regulations adopted by the federal Secretary of Labor.

(d) “Skilled and trained workforce” means a workforce that meets all of the following conditions:

(1) All the workers performing work in an apprenticeable occupation in the building and construction trades are either skilled journeypersons or apprentices registered in an apprenticeship program approved by the chief.

(2) (A) For work performed on or after January 1, 2017, at least 30 percent of the skilled journeypersons employed to perform work on the contract or project by every contractor and each of its subcontractors at every tier are graduates of an apprenticeship program for the applicable occupation.

(B) For work performed on or after January 1, 2018, at least 40 percent of the skilled journeypersons employed to perform work on the contract or project by every contractor and each of its subcontractors at every tier are graduates of an apprenticeship program for the applicable occupation. This requirement shall not apply to work performed in the following occupations: acoustical installer, bricklayer, carpenter, cement mason, drywall installer or lather, hod carrier, inspector, marble mason, finisher, or setter, modular furniture or systems installer, operating engineer, pile driver, plasterer or plasterer tender, roofer or waterproofer, stone mason, surveyor, teamster, terrazzo worker or finisher, and tile layer, setter, or finisher.

(C) For work performed on or after January 1, 2019, at least 50 percent of the skilled journeypersons employed to perform work on the contract or project by every contractor and each of its subcontractors at every tier are graduates of an apprenticeship program for the applicable occupation. This requirement shall not apply to work performed in the following occupations: acoustical installer, bricklayer, carpenter, cement mason, drywall installer or lather, hod carrier, inspector, marble mason, finisher, or setter, modular furniture or systems installer, operating engineer, pile driver, plasterer or plasterer tender, roofer or waterproofer, stone mason, surveyor, teamster, terrazzo worker or finisher, and tile layer, setter, or finisher.

(D) For work performed on or after January 1, 2020, at least 60 percent of the skilled journeypersons employed to perform work on the contract or project by every contractor and each of its subcontractors at every tier are graduates of an apprenticeship program for the applicable occupation. This requirement shall not apply to work performed in the following occupations: acoustical installer, bricklayer, carpenter, cement mason, drywall installer or lather, hod carrier, inspector, marble mason, finisher, or setter, modular furniture or systems installer, operating engineer, pile driver, plasterer or plasterer tender, roofer or waterproofer, stone mason, surveyor, teamster, terrazzo worker or finisher, and tile layer, setter, or finisher.

(3) For an apprenticeable occupation in which no apprenticeship program had been approved by the chief before January 1, 1995, up to one-half of the graduation percentage requirements of paragraph (2) may be satisfied by skilled journeypersons who commenced working in the apprenticeable occupation before the chief’s approval of an apprenticeship program for that occupation in the county in which the project is located.

(4) The apprenticeship graduation percentage requirements of paragraph (2) are satisfied if, in a particular calendar month, either of the following is true:

(A) At least the required percentage of the skilled journeypersons employed by the contractor or subcontractor to perform work on the contract or project meet the graduation percentage requirement.

(B) For the hours of work performed by skilled journeypersons employed by the contractor or subcontractor on the contract or project, the percentage of hours performed by skilled journeypersons who met the graduation requirement is at least equal to the required graduation percentage.

(5) The contractor or subcontractor need not meet the apprenticeship graduation requirements of paragraph (2) if, during the calendar month, the contractor or subcontractor employs skilled journeypersons to perform fewer than 10 hours of work on the contract or project.

(6) A subcontractor need not meet the apprenticeship graduation requirements of paragraph (2) if both of the following requirements are met:

(A) The subcontractor was not a listed subcontractor under Section 4104 or a substitute for a listed subcontractor.

(B) The subcontract does not exceed one-half of 1 percent of the price of the prime contract.

(e) “Skilled journeyperson” means a worker who either:

(1) Graduated from an apprenticeship program for the applicable occupation that was approved by the chief or located outside California and approved for federal purposes pursuant to the apprenticeship regulations adopted by the federal Secretary of Labor.

(2) Has at least as many hours of on-the-job experience in the applicable occupation as would be required to graduate from an apprenticeship program for the applicable occupation that is approved by the chief.

SECTION 1.Section 1720 of the Labor Code is amended to read:

1720.

(a)As used in this chapter, “public works” means:

(1)Construction, alteration, demolition, installation, or repair work done under contract and paid for in whole or in part out of public funds, except work done directly by any public utility company pursuant to order of the Public Utilities Commission or other public authority. For purposes of this paragraph, “construction” includes work performed during the design and preconstruction phases of construction, including, but not limited to, inspection and land surveying work, and work performed during the postconstruction phases of construction, including, but not limited to, all cleanup work at the jobsite. For purposes of this paragraph, “installation” includes, but is not limited to, the assembly and disassembly of freestanding and affixed modular office systems.

(2)Work done for irrigation, utility, reclamation, and improvement districts, and other districts of this type. “Public work” does not include the operation of the irrigation or drainage system of any irrigation or reclamation district, except as used in Section 1778 relating to retaining wages.

(3)Street, sewer, or other improvement work done under the direction and supervision or by the authority of any officer or public body of the state, or of any political subdivision or district thereof, whether the political subdivision or district operates under a freeholder’s charter or not.

(4)The laying of carpet done under a building lease-maintenance contract and paid for out of public funds.

(5)The laying of carpet in a public building done under contract and paid for in whole or in part out of public funds.

(6)Public transportation demonstration projects authorized pursuant to Section 143 of the Streets and Highways Code.

(7)(A)Infrastructure project grants from the California Advanced Services Fund pursuant to Section 281 of the Public Utilities Code.

(B)For purposes of this paragraph, the Public Utilities Commission is not the awarding body or the body awarding the contract, as defined in Section 1722.

(b)For purposes of this section, “paid for in whole or in part out of public funds” means all of the following:

(1)The payment of money or the equivalent of money by the state or political subdivision directly to or on behalf of the public works contractor, subcontractor, or developer.

(2)Performance of construction work by the state or political subdivision in execution of the project.

(3)Transfer by the state or political subdivision of an asset of value for less than fair market price.

(4)Fees, costs, rents, insurance or bond premiums, loans, interest rates, or other obligations that would normally be required in the execution of the contract, that are paid, reduced, charged at less than fair market value, waived, or forgiven by the state or political subdivision.

(5)Money loaned by the state or political subdivision that is to be repaid on a contingent basis.

(6)Credits that are applied by the state or political subdivision against repayment obligations to the state or political subdivision.

(c)Notwithstanding subdivision (b):

(1)Private residential projects built on private property are not subject to the requirements of this chapter unless the projects are built pursuant to an agreement with a state agency, redevelopment agency, or local public housing authority.

(2)If the state or a political subdivision requires a private developer to perform construction, alteration, demolition, installation, or repair work on a public work of improvement as a condition of regulatory approval of an otherwise private development project, and the state or political subdivision contributes no more money, or the equivalent of money, to the overall project than is required to perform this public improvement work, and the state or political subdivision maintains no proprietary interest in the overall project, then only the public improvement work shall thereby become subject to this chapter.

(3)(A)If the state or a political subdivision reimburses a private developer for costs that would normally be borne by the public, or provides directly or indirectly a public subsidy to a private development project that is de minimis in the context of the project, an otherwise private development project shall not thereby become subject to the requirements of this chapter.

(B)For purposes of subparagraph (A), a public subsidy is de minimis if it is both less than two hundred seventy-five thousand dollars ($275,000) and is less than 2 percent of the total project cost. This subparagraph shall not apply to a project that was advertised for bid, or a contract that was awarded before July 1, 2018.

(4)The construction or rehabilitation of affordable housing units for low- or moderate-income persons pursuant to paragraph (5) or (7) of subdivision (e) of Section 33334.2 of the Health and Safety Code that are paid for solely with moneys from the Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund established pursuant to Section 33334.3 of the Health and Safety Code or that are paid for by a combination of private funds and funds available pursuant to Section 33334.2 or 33334.3 of the Health and Safety Code do not constitute a project that is paid for in whole or in part out of public funds.

(5)Unless otherwise required by a public funding program, the construction or rehabilitation of privately owned residential projects is not subject to the requirements of this chapter if one or more of the following conditions are met:

(A)The project is a self-help housing project in which no fewer than 500 hours of construction work associated with the homes are to be performed by the home buyers.

(B)The project consists of rehabilitation or expansion work associated with a facility operated on a not-for-profit basis as temporary or transitional housing for homeless persons with a total project cost of less than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000).

(C)Assistance is provided to a household as either mortgage assistance, downpayment assistance, or for the rehabilitation of a single-family home.

(D)The project consists of new construction, expansion, or rehabilitation work associated with a facility developed by a nonprofit organization to be operated on a not-for-profit basis to provide emergency or transitional shelter and ancillary services and assistance to homeless adults and children. The nonprofit organization operating the project shall provide, at no profit, not less than 50 percent of the total project cost from nonpublic sources, excluding real property that is transferred or leased. Total project cost includes the value of donated labor, materials, and architectural and engineering services.

(E)The public participation in the project that would otherwise meet the criteria of subdivision (b) is public funding in the form of below-market interest rate loans for a project in which occupancy of at least 40 percent of the units is restricted for at least 20 years, by deed or regulatory agreement, to individuals or families earning no more than 80 percent of the area median income.

(d)Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, the following projects shall not, solely by reason of this section, be subject to the requirements of this chapter:

(1)Qualified residential rental projects, as defined by Section 142(d) of the Internal Revenue Code, financed in whole or in part through the issuance of bonds that receive allocation of a portion of the state ceiling pursuant to Chapter 11.8 (commencing with Section 8869.80) of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code on or before December 31, 2003.

(2)Single-family residential projects financed in whole or in part through the issuance of qualified mortgage revenue bonds or qualified veterans’ mortgage bonds, as defined by Section 143 of the Internal Revenue Code, or with mortgage credit certificates under a Qualified Mortgage Credit Certificate Program, as defined by Section 25 of the Internal Revenue Code, that receive allocation of a portion of the state ceiling pursuant to Chapter 11.8 (commencing with Section 8869.80) of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code on or before December 31, 2003.

(3)Low-income housing projects that are allocated federal or state low-income housing tax credits pursuant to Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code, Chapter 3.6 (commencing with Section 50199.4) of Part 1 of Division 31 of the Health and Safety Code, or Section 12206, 17058, or 23610.5 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, on or before December 31, 2003.

(e)Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), construction, alteration, demolition, installation, or repair work on the electric transmission system located in California constitutes a public works project for the purposes of this chapter.

(f)If a statute, other than this section, or a regulation, other than a regulation adopted pursuant to this section, or an ordinance or a contract applies this chapter to a project, the exclusions set forth in subdivision (d) do not apply to that project.

(g)For purposes of this section, references to the Internal Revenue Code mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and include the corresponding predecessor sections of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended.

(h)The amendments made to this section by either Chapter 938 of the Statutes of 2001 or the act adding this subdivision shall not be construed to preempt local ordinances requiring the payment of prevailing wages on housing projects.