Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Glazing Certification Public Works topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public testimony: bill would require glazing contractor and worker certification on large public projects
Summary
Supporters of House Bill 26 80 told the committee March 25 that requiring nationally recognized glazing certifications on large public works projects would reduce moisture-related defects and protect taxpayer investments.
House Bill 26 80, heard in a March 25 public hearing, would require public agencies using public funds to install, repair or remodel fenestration products (windows, skylights and similar systems) on large public works projects to hire nationally certified glazing contractors and to meet phased worker-certification thresholds.
Committee staff summarized the bill: certification requirements would apply to public works projects over $5,000,000 for new construction and over $1,000,000 for remodeling. Starting July 1, 2026, contractors must show national certification as a glazing contractor and at least one worker on the job must have a national certification as an Architectural Glass and Metal Technician (AGMT). From July 1, 2027, contractors must demonstrate 25% of their employees have AGMT certification, and after July 1, 2028, 50% must be AGMT-certified. A dash-2 amendment excludes premanufactured windows and skylights from the fenestration definition.
Supporters included Calvin Bennett, chief of staff to Rep. Greg Smith, who described the bill as designed to reduce construction defects in public buildings by ensuring qualified installers. Testimony from industry representatives and labor included Austin Hartchamp (International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 5), Darren Davies (BlackLine Glazing), and Mike James (Glazers Local 740). They said the certifications (AGMT installer certification and a contractor-level certification, NACC or similar) are private, nationally recognized programs that standardize quality-control and reduce moisture intrusion problems in the Northwest.
Brian Johnston, CEO of Dallas Glass, said his firm supports independent certification but raised concerns about the bill as drafted. He said the requirements would increase costs, add compliance tasks for owners and contractors, and risk reducing competition on government projects where only a few firms are certified. Johnston noted there were currently a small number of certified installers in the state and that NACC company-level certification and AGMT individual certification take months to complete; he recommended requiring a certified installer on each specific project (rather than company-wide ratios), eliminating the 25% and 50% company-wide staffing thresholds, and delaying the effective dates to allow businesses to comply. Apprenticeship testimony noted an 8,000-hour apprenticeship (about four years) and that recent recruitment and retirement patterns affect workforce availability.
No committee action was recorded during the hearing; the committee closed the public hearing record and proceeded to its next agenda item.
