A1338

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman CODY D. MILLER

District 4 (Atlantic, Camden and Gloucester)

Assemblyman DAN HUTCHISON

District 4 (Atlantic, Camden and Gloucester)

Assemblyman MICHAEL VENEZIA

District 34 (Essex)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman Drulis and Assemblyman Angelozzi

SYNOPSIS

Reduces threshold cost, from $5 million to $3 million, of public works projects which may include project labor agreements.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

An Act concerning the minimum cost of public works projects which may include project labor agreements and amending P.L.2002, c.44.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. Section 2 of P.L.2002, c.44 (C.52:38-2) is amended to read as follows:

2. For the purposes of this act:

"Apprenticeship program" means a registered apprenticeship program providing to each trainee combined classroom and on-the-job training under the direct and close supervision of a highly skilled worker in an occupation recognized as an apprenticeable trade, and registered by the Office of Apprenticeship of the U.S. Department of Labor and meeting the standards established by the office, or registered by a State apprenticeship agency recognized by the office.

"Disadvantaged community" means a census block group, as determined in accordance with the most recent United States Census, in which:

(1) at least 35 percent of the households are low-income households;

(2) at least 40 percent of the residents are minority group members or members of a State-recognized tribal community; or

(3) at least 40 percent of the households have limited English proficiency.

"Labor organization" means, with respect to a contracted work on a public works project, an organization which represents, for purposes of collective bargaining, employees involved in the performance of public works contracts and eligible to be paid prevailing wages under the "New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act", P.L.1963, c.150 (C.34:11-56.25 et seq.) and has the present ability to refer, provide or represent sufficient numbers of qualified employees to perform the contracted work, in a manner consistent with the provisions of this act and any plan mutually agreed upon by the labor organization and the public entity pursuant to subsection g. of section 5 of this act.

"Low-income household" means a household that is at or below twice the poverty threshold as that threshold is determined annually by the United States Census Bureau.

"Political subdivision" means any county, municipality, school district or other political subdivision of the State of New Jersey or any instrumentality or agency of the political subdivision.

"Project labor agreement" means a form of pre-hire collective bargaining agreement covering terms and conditions of a specific project.

"Public entity" means the State, any of its political subdivisions, any authority created by the Legislature and any instrumentality or agency of the State or of any of its political subdivisions.

"Public works project" means any public works project for construction, reconstruction, demolition or renovation for which:

(1) It is required by law that workers be paid the prevailing wage determined by the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development pursuant to the provisions of the "New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act", P.L.1963, c.150 (C.34:11-56.25 et seq.); and

(2) The public entity estimates that the total cost of the project,

exclusive of any land acquisition costs, will equal or exceed [$5] $3 million.

(cf: P.L.2021, c.69, s.1)

2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill amends P.L.2002, c.44 to reduce, from $5 million to $3 million, the minimum cost of a public works project which may include a project labor agreement pursuant to that act.