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House committee gives do‑pass recommendation to bill expanding public‑works apprenticeship contributions after heated debate
Summary
After hours of testimony for and against, the committee voted 6–5 to give House Bill 270 a do‑pass recommendation. Supporters said the bill closes a long‑standing exemption and funds apprenticeships; contractors warned a 60¢ per‑labor‑hour contribution would raise project costs and penalize firms without access to certified programs.
The House committee considered House Bill 270, legislation that would require most public‑works contractors to either participate in state‑approved apprenticeship and training programs or contribute to a public‑works apprenticeship and training fund. Sponsors and witnesses said the bill clarifies a 1992 framework and closes an exemption that has left some contractors from paying into training funds for decades.
Supporters from labor and apprenticeship organizations told the committee HB270 would help grow a skilled, in‑state construction workforce. Rosendo Najad, president of Carpenters Local 1319, said the bill aims to "justify or fix an imbalance that we've had on our prevailing wage for quite some time in New Mexico" and argued that contractors whose work is largely publicly funded should contribute to training. Joan…
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