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Construction bill proposing upstream liability for unpaid wages draws split reaction
Summary
HB 2191 would make certain property owners and direct contractors liable when subcontractors fail to pay wages; unions and worker advocates supported the change to speed payments and increase compliance, while contractors and business groups warned it could raise costs, reduce competition and disproportionately harm small and minority‑owned firms.
The Labor and Workplace Standards Committee heard hours of testimony on House Bill 2191 on Jan. 14, a proposal to make property owners or direct contractors liable when contractors or subcontractors fail to pay worker wages or benefits.
Staff described the bill as expanding accountability in construction chains: a property owner or direct contractor could be held liable when a direct contractor or subcontractor fails to pay wages, while direct contractors would be liable when a subcontractor fails to pay. The staff presentation listed specific exemptions: liability would not apply to state, local or tribal governments; it would not apply when a construction project takes place on a property that is the owner's principal residence or on a…
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