Sponsor Statement for HB 301

The intent of House Bill 301 is to provide more employment opportunities and maximize local participation for businesses and residents on public construction projects in areas that are economically depressed and have been declared economic disaster areas by the Governor.

The bill waives the prevailing wage rate requirement for public construction projects in areas that are declared an economic disaster. It also gives latitude to parties to renegotiate contracts in the event an economic disaster has been declared after a contract has been signed. Under this legislation, the Department of Labor will provide oversight by issuing a list of communities located in an economic disaster area and determine whether the public construction is exempt from the requirement to pay prevailing wage rates.