HCS HB 414 -- PREVAILING WAGE

SPONSOR:  Hunter

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Workforce
Development and Workplace Safety by a vote of 7 to 6.

This substitute allows schools to opt out of the prevailing wage
law by a majority vote of their governing boards.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not available at time of printing.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill exempts just schools
and will save them money on building projects; 70% of wages
across the state are set with no hours being reported; wages are
too high and should be what is generally paid in the area;
schools should have the same tools as private entities; and
unions do not need the protection.

Testifying for the bill were Representatives Bean and Wallace;
Greg Hoberock; Mark Mayo; Larry Snyder; and Associated Builders
and Contractors.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that school districts
are the biggest violators of the prevailing wage law according to
the State Auditor's office; the prevailing wage law stabilizes
wages, prevents contractors from cutting wages to get a bid,
helps promote a stable and highly trained workforce, and is good
for the economy; limiting the competition will make prices go up;
and the bill will destabilize the construction industry.

Testifying against the bill were St. Louis Area Contractors;
Associated General Contractors of Missouri; Missouri State
Building Trades; Missouri Laborers; Missouri AFL-CIO; Carpenters
District Council of Kansas City and St. Louis; and Missouri Pipe
Trades.

Other witnesses testifying on the bill was the Division of Labor
Standards.

Mark Pioli, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated July 25, 2003 at 10:11 am