ASSEMBLY STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 4006

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  April 10, 2025

      The Assembly State and Local Government Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 4006.

      As amended by the committee, this bill permits partnerships and joint ventures to bid on certain public works and prevailing wage contracts in certain cases.

      Under current law, contractors are unable to bid on any contract for public work, or for which payment of the prevailing wage is required, unless the contractor is registered.  This bill allows partnerships and joint ventures to bid on certain contracts, including heavy, highway, utility, marine, transit, environmental remediation, and related infrastructure projects, or any such project for which payment of the prevailing wage is required by law, if each party to the partnership or joint venture is independently registered.

      This bill defines “heavy infrastructure project” as a public works project that involves the planning, design, construction, or maintenance of essential facilities and systems, including but not limited to roads, bridges, tunnels, railways, airports, seaports, transit systems, water and wastewater treatment facilities, stormwater systems, utilities, and environmental remediation efforts.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to limit the types of public work and prevailing wage contracts that will be permitted to receive bids from partnerships and joint ventures in which each party to the partnership or joint venture is independently registered.  The bill limits these contracts to heavy, highway, utility, marine, transit, environmental remediation, and related infrastructure projects, or any such project for which payment of the prevailing wage is required by law.

      The committee also amended the bill to define “heavy infrastructure project” as a public works project that involves the planning, design, construction, or maintenance of essential facilities and systems, including, but not limited to, roads, bridges, tunnels, railways, airports, seaports, transit systems, water and wastewater treatment facilities, stormwater systems, utilities, and environmental remediation efforts.