Committee recommends House Bill 68 to codify 1-to-1 journeyman–apprentice ratio; vote 7-4

House Bill 68, which would codify a 1-to-1 journeyman-to-apprentice ratio for state-registered construction apprenticeship programs, received a do-pass recommendation from the House Labor, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee on a 7-4 roll call Wednesday.

The committee vote followed testimony that split along lines of safety advocates and business and contractor groups. Proponents told the committee the bill would restore and clarify a safety standard they say has weakened under recent administrative changes; opponents said a fixed 1-to-1 ratio would reduce flexibility and slow efforts to expand the pipeline of trained workers.

Brian Condit, executive director of the New Mexico Building Trades Council, testified that the measure is “a codification of existing administrative code” and argued that a clear statutory standard would protect worker safety. “We anticipate that by codifying the 1 to 1 ratio into state law, it will give us a little bit, firmer stand,” Condit said, adding that construction work often involves handling hazardous materials and heavy loads and that stronger supervision standards reduce accident risk.

Condit cited U.S. Department of Labor statistics he said show about 5,500 construction workers in the state and roughly 2,500 registered apprentices, a share he described as “a little more than 4%” of the industry. He told the committee that the apprenticeship population could be expanded under current administrative rules but that the council wants a permanent statutory baseline for the ratio.

Opponents argued the bill would constrain employers’ ability to train more workers. Duval Westfall, executive vice president for policy and programs at the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, called HB 68 “a solution in search of a problem,” saying a 2-to-1 journeyman-to-apprentice ratio “effectively balances training, supervision, and workforce needs.” Westfall warned that the bill “will cut this workforce in half, limiting the number of new journeymen being trained” and could worsen an existing shortfall as journeymen retire.

Leticia (Executive Director, National Electrical Contractors Association of New Mexico) and JD Bullington (registered lobbyist for NECA New Mexico) told the committee they oppose a statutory ratio and favor leaving the ratio to the state apprenticeship committee within the Department of Workforce Solutions so the policy can remain flexible to different job-site conditions. Bullington noted that worksites vary — for example, electrical construction differs from film-set work — and said that flexibility allows safer and more-effective staffing decisions.

Vince Martinez, interim CEO of the New Mexico Rural Electric Cooperative Association and senior adviser to Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, asked whether the measure would apply in small rural systems and whether an apprentice could respond to outages without a journeyman present. Martinez said hiring and on-call capacity are already constrained in rural communities and asked the sponsor to clarify the bill’s scope for nontraditional construction work.

Committee members pressed witnesses on whether safety was the primary justification for a 1-to-1 standard; witnesses supporting the bill affirmed safety and also said the ratio supports a stable training pipeline. Committee member questions also elicited testimony that federal rules and statutes could limit how far ratios are relaxed; witnesses referenced the Davis-Bacon Act and the State Public Works Minimum Wage Act as federal or state rules that could affect prevailing-wage projects.

The do-pass motion was made by the committee chair and seconded by Representative Anaya. Roll-call remarks recorded explicit yes votes from Representative Anaya, Representative Garcia, Representative Ortiz, Representative Torres Velasquez and Madam Vice Chair Chavis and recorded explicit no votes from Representative Hall, Representative Mejia and Representative Reeb; the committee chair announced the final tally as 7 yes to 4 no, carrying a do-pass recommendation for HB 68.

The committee clerk said HB 68 will move forward to the floor on Thursday as part of the committee's upcoming docket.

Questions and requests for clarification raised during testimony included whether the ratio would apply to small rural employers, whether all tasks performed by apprentices would require on-site journeyman supervision, and whether codifying a ratio could affect contractors’ ability to staff projects on budget and on time. The committee record shows the committee voted to advance the bill despite opposition from several business and contractor groups.