LD117 - Prevailing Wage on School Construction

(2015)

An Act To Require the Prevailing Wage To Be Paid on All Public Works Projects for Which State Funding Is Used

Sponsored by Sponsored by Senator John Patrick (D – Rumford)

What is the bill?

The rationale behind prevailing wage laws is that state and federal governments, as major purchasers of construction services, should not depress wages. Maine’s prevailing wage law applies to public construction projects, like roads, sewers, bridges, etc., that are funded by taxpayer dollars. There is currently a loophole in Maine law that allows public school construction to escape prevailing wage requirements. LD 117 would have required that Maine workers are paid a prevailing wage on all public works construction projects where the contract includes state funding, including public school construction. This would ensure the highest quality school construction and that public dollars support good wages and working standards. The bill was defeated by Republicans in the Senate.

What happened?

Defeated

Votes