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Stakeholders urge fixes to A3994 after committee expands prevailing‑wage definitions
Summary
Business groups, builders and municipal associations urged clarifying amendments to A3994 after committee changes that broaden state prevailing‑wage coverage; the committee released the bill with amendments but several members voted no, citing concerns it could raise costs for redevelopment and affordable housing.
A3994, a bill amended in committee to extend state prevailing‑wage requirements beyond public higher education projects, drew broad testimony Wednesday from business groups, builders and municipal associations who said recent changes could unintentionally expand the law to projects receiving public subsidies.
Elyssa Frank, vice president of government affairs for NJBIA, told the Assembly Labor Committee that a late amendment left inconsistent language in the bill and warned the expansion could apply to projects that receive tax abatements or exemptions. "This expansion is problematic ... prevailing wage typically increases the cost of construction by 30 to 50%," she said, arguing the added costs could prevent redevelopment in distressed areas.
Anthony Pizzottillo, representing…
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