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Committee adopts amendment and advances bill limiting contract terms tied to labor organizations; amendment removes broad emergency exemption
Summary
The committee voted to adopt an amendment that removes a sweepingly broad emergency exemption and then passed SB 88, a bill that prohibits state government entities from including specified labor‑organization terms in construction contracts and grants; supporters say it opens bidding, critics warn it could constrain emergency contractor mobilization.
The House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services Committee adopted an amendment and passed Senate Bill 88 in executive session on April 21 after a contentious work session.
Amendment: Representative Warden introduced amendment 2026‑1577H to delete a paragraph that would have allowed "the head of a governmental entity" to exempt a contract from the bill’s prohibitions if needed to avert an imminent threat to public health or safety. Warden said that language was a "poison pill" that rendered the bill ineffective; supporters of the amendment said deleting the paragraph would close a broad loophole. Representative Drago seconded the amendment.
Debate: Lawmakers divided over whether the bill solves a nonexistent problem. Opponents warned the change could limit the state’s ability to use project‑labor agreements (PLAs) during emergencies when thousands of workers may be needed for rapid mobilization. Supporters said the bill keeps state bidding open to all contractors rather than favoring arrangements that would effectively limit competition.
Votes: The amendment passed on a roll call of 11‑9. The committee then voted to pass SB 88 as amended; the clerk recorded the final vote as 11‑9.
What it does: As amended, SB 88 would prohibit certain state entities from including specified terms related to labor organizations in construction‑related contracts and grants; municipal contracts remain excluded from the bill’s scope. Lawmakers debated whether federal requirements in particular projects might still compel PLAs and whether the title still reflected the amended text.
Next steps: The committee reported SB 88 out of committee with a majority recommendation; minority reports were noted on the record.
