Bill Text: MI SB0006 | 2023-2024 | 102nd Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Labor: hours and wages; prevailing wage; reenact. Creates new act.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 20-0)
Status: (Enrolled) 2023-04-11 - Returned As Requested [SB0006 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2023-SB0006-Engrossed.html
Substitute For
SENATE BILL NO. 6
the people of the state of michigan enact:
(a) "Commissioner" means the department of labor and economic opportunity.
(b) "Construction mechanic" means a skilled or unskilled mechanic, laborer, worker, helper, assistant, or apprentice working on a state project but shall not include executive, administrative, professional, office, or custodial employees.
(c) "Contracting agent" means any officer, school board, board or commission of the state, or a state institution supported in whole or in part by state funds, authorized to enter into a contract for a state project or to perform a state project by the direct employment of labor.
(d) "Locality" means the county, city, village, township, or school district in which the physical work on a state project is to be performed.
(e) "State project" means new construction, alteration, repair, installation, painting, decorating, completion, demolition, conditioning, reconditioning, or improvement of public buildings, schools, works, bridges, highways, or roads authorized by a contracting agent.
Sec. 2. Every contract executed between a contracting agent and a successful bidder as contractor and entered into pursuant to advertisement and invitation to bid for a state project which requires or involves the employment of construction mechanics, other than those subject to the jurisdiction of the state civil service commission, and which is sponsored or financed in whole or in part by the state shall contain an express term that the rates of wages and fringe benefits to be paid to each class of mechanics by the bidder and all of its subcontractors, shall be not less than the wage and fringe benefit rates prevailing in the locality in which the work is to be performed. Contracts on state projects which contain provisions requiring the payment of prevailing wages as determined by the United States Secretary of Labor pursuant to 40 USC 3141 to 3148 or which contain minimum wage schedules which are the same as prevailing wages in the locality as determined by collective bargaining agreements or understandings between bona fide organizations of construction mechanics and their employers are exempt from the provisions of this act.
Sec. 3. A contracting agent, before advertising for bids on a state project, shall have the commissioner determine the prevailing rates of wages and fringe benefits for all classes of construction mechanics called for in the contract. A schedule of these rates shall be made a part of the specifications for the work to be performed and shall be printed on the bidding forms where the work is to be done by contract. If a contract is not awarded or construction undertaken within 90 days of the date of the commissioner's determination of prevailing rates of wages and fringe benefits, the commissioner shall make a redetermination before the contract is awarded.
Sec. 4. The commissioner shall establish prevailing wages and fringe benefits at the same rate that prevails on projects of a similar character in the locality under collective agreements or understandings between bona fide organizations of construction mechanics and their employers. Such agreements and understandings, to meet the requirements of this section, shall not be controlled in any way by either an employee or employer organization. If the prevailing rates of wages and fringe benefits cannot reasonably and fairly be applied in any locality because no such agreements or understandings exist, the commissioner shall determine the rates and fringe benefits for the same or most similar employment in the nearest and most similar neighboring locality in which such agreements or understandings do exist. The commissioner may hold public hearings in the locality in which the work is to be performed to determine the prevailing wage and fringe benefit rates. All prevailing wage and fringe benefit rates determined under this section shall be filed with the commissioner and made available to the public.
Sec. 5. Every contractor and subcontractor shall keep posted on the construction site, in a conspicuous place, a copy of all prevailing wage and fringe benefit rates prescribed in a contract and shall keep an accurate record showing the name and occupation of and the actual wages and benefits paid to each construction mechanic employed by it in connection with said contract. This record shall be available for reasonable inspection by the contracting agent or the commissioner.
Sec. 6. The contracting agent, by written notice to the contractor and the sureties of the contractor known to the contracting agent, may terminate the contractor's right to proceed with that part of the contract, for which less than the prevailing rates of wages and fringe benefits have been or will be paid, and may proceed to complete the contract by separate agreement with another contractor or otherwise, and the original contractor and his sureties shall be liable to the contracting agent for any excess costs occasioned thereby.
Sec. 7. A contractor or subcontractor shall not discharge, discipline, retaliate against, or otherwise discriminate against a construction mechanic, or threaten to do any of these things, because the construction mechanic reported or was about to report a violation or suspected violation of this act.
Sec. 8. (1) A person that violates this act is subject to a civil fine of not more than $5,000.00. The prosecutor of the county in which the violation occurred or the attorney general may bring an action to collect the fine.
(2) A contractor and its subcontractor are jointly and severally liable for a violation of this act.
Sec. 9. The provisions of this act shall not apply to contracts entered into or the bids made before the effective date of this act.
Sec. 10. For the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, $75,000.00 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of labor and economic opportunity. The appropriation under this section is designated as a work project under section 451a of the management and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL 18.1451a, to implement and communicate information about the enactment of this act, to be accomplished by state employees or by contract with an estimated cost not exceeding $75,000.00 and an estimated completion date of December 31, 2024.
