ABC SESSION RECAP

We tracked and worked on many bills this session on behalf of ABC. They are organized below by subject. If ABC voted on a bill and took a position it is also noted.

None of the bills that ABC voted to strongly oppose passed - all were killed.

The John Davis bills relating to preference for contractors that provide health care benefits to employees was killed. The language from the bill was put on Rep. Callegari’s bill, HB447, but Rep. Callegari remembered Mike Weaver’s testimony and when the bill went to conference the John Davis language was stripped out.

The only bill ABC voted to strongly support was SB324 by Deuell, The contingent pay bill. This bill passed and was signed by the Governor on 6/15/07.

Contingent Pay bill

SB324 by Deuell, Relating to contingent payment clauses in certain construction contracts. Passed and signed by the Governor on 6/15/07.

Minimum wage bills

There were quite a few minimum wage bills this session. All were held in committee or killed in House Calendars. No State minimum wage bill passed.

HB49 - Chavez - killed in calendars

HB193 - Guillen - did not get out of committee

HB236 - Alonzo - did not get out of committee

HB262 - Coleman - did not get out of committee

HB327 - Lebowitz - did not get out of committee

HB451 - Thompson - did not get out of committee

HB641 - Coleman - killed in calendars

HB936 - Burnam - did not get out of committee

SB95 - Ellis - never heard in committee

SB207 - Ellis - never heard in committee

SB980 - West - never heard in committee

Prevailing wage bills

HB2331 by Parker - Relating to the repeal of public prevailing wage laws. Did not make it out of committee. ABC supported this bill.

HB2625 by Murphy - Relating to the determination of prevailing wage rates in Texas counties.

This bill passed and was signed by the Governor on 6/15/07.

Licensing bills

HB463 by Flores - Relating to the regulation of air conditioning and refrigeration contracting.  This bill passed and was sent to the governor. ABC voted to somewhat oppose this bill. The votes on this bill ranged from neutral to strongly oppose, but the final outcome was somewhat oppose. ABC did not testify against it, we asked for a witness to testify and no one came.

HB1029 / SB345 by Goolsby & Carona - Relating to an exemption from electrician licensing requirements for certain work performed by a plumber. The house bill passed and was sent to the Governor - ABC was in support of this bill.

HB1281 by Bailey - Relating to the licensing and regulation of certain journeyman and apprentice sheet metal workers. We killed this bill on our point of order in the House.

HB1413 by Bailey - Relating to the regulation of fire protection sprinkler technicians. Killed in House calendars. ABC opposed this bill

HB2118 by Pickett - Relating to licensing and regulation of residential fire alarm technicians and regulation of fire detection and alarm devices. This bill passed and was sent to the governor. Monitored this bill for ABC

HB2292 by Goolsby - Relating to an exemption from the electrician licensing requirement for the installation or repair of an appliance by an appliance dealer or manufacturer. This bill did not get out of committee - Monitored this bill for ABC, similar to HB3069

HB2745 by Bailey - Relating to the licensing of a journeyman lineman. This bill did not get out of committee.

HB2905 by Goolsby - Relating to an exemption from electrician licensing requirements for certain work involving a solar photovoltaic system. This bill did not get out of committee.

HB3069 / SB1222 by Goolsby & Carona - Relating to the licensing and regulation of appliance installers and appliance installation contractors. This bill has been sent to the Governor. ABC voted to strongly oppose this bill, but in a board meeting this bill was thoroughly discussed and no one had a problem.

HB3076 / HB3865 / SB1156 by Goolsby & Fraser - Relating to certain exemptions from requirements of electrical licensing.  None of these bills made it out of committee.

HB3683 by Hamilton - Relating to the regulation of plumbers - Did not get out of committee. ABC initially opposed, but later determined no problem.

SB 465 by Eltife - Relating to the regulation of certain consumer transactions involving plumbing, air conditioning and electrical services. Did not get out of committee.

Day laborers and Immigration Regulation

HB291 / SB116 by Jackson & Carona - Relating to requiring governmental entities and contractors with governmental entities to participate in the federal work authorization program.

Did not get out of committee. ABC voted and was listed as strongly opposed to this bill.

HB325 by Leibowitz - Relating to construction projects employing undocumented workers.

Did not get out of committee.

HB456 by Rodriguez - Relating to the employment of certain day laborers; authorizing the imposition of an administrative penalty.  Did not get out of committee. ABC voted and was listed as strongly opposed to this bill.

HB908 by Zedler - Relating to requiring governmental entities and contractors with governmental entities to verify employee information through the federal work authorization program. Did not get out of committee.

Purchasing / Contracting

HB144 by Deshotel - Relating to a preference in state purchasing for products from disaster areas. This bill did not get out of committee. ABC was neutral on this bill.

HB447 / SB356 by Callegari & Jackson - Relating to contracts by governmental entities for construction projects and related professional services and to public works performance and payment bonds. The Callegari version of the bill passed but was vetoed by the Governor on 6/15/07. Language by John Davis to give preference to employers that provide health insurance was stripped out of this bill in conference committee.

HB576 by Smith, Wayne - Relating to the bid bond form of bid deposit for certain special district construction projects. Passed and signed by the Governor 6/15/07. Monitored this bill for ABC.

HB1152 by Eiland - Relating to enforcement of certain insurance provisions in and related to construction contracts. Did not get out of committee

HB1182 by Davis, John - Relating to the provision of a preference in certain governmental purchasing decisions for vendors or contractors that provide health care benefits to employees. This bill was killed in calendars. Mike Weaver testified in committee regarding ABC’s opposition to this bill.

HB1536 by Flynn - Relating to job order contracts entered into by school districts, public institutions of higher education, navigation districts, and certain other governmental entities. This bill was left pending in committee and died.

HB1690 by Bailey - Relating to the provision of a preference in certain state and school district construction contracts for contractors that provide health benefits for employees. This bill was left pending in committee and died.

HB1886 by Callegari - Relating to the procurement methods of certain political subdivisions and certain other entities for the construction, rehabilitation, alteration or repair of certain projects. This bill passed and was signed by the Governor on 6/15/07. Monitored this bill for ABC.

HB2262 / SB346 by Eiland & Duncan - Relating to indemnification provision in construction contracts. Both bills were left pending in committee and died. ABC was neutral on this bill.

HB2373 / SB1064 by Morrison & West - Relating to the purchasing and contracting practices of junior college districts. Both of these bills died in the house committee.

HB3054 by Corte - Relating to the adjudication of claims arising under written contracts with local governmental entities. This bill was left pending in the House committee and died.

HB 3234 by Alonzo - Relating to the requirement that governmental entities give preference to Texas-based companies in awarding certain financial services contracts. This bill was left pending in committee and died.  ABC was opposed.

HB3555 by Ortiz - Relating to the procedures for awarding certain contracts financed by certificates of obligation. Monitored this bill for ABC.

HB3763 / SB1001 by Chavez & West - Relating to requiring a contractor to provide health insurance to its employees as a condition of eligibility for the award of certain state contracts. Neither bill was set for a hearing and died in committee.

SB412 by Shapleigh - Relating to the provision of a preference in certain governmental purchasing decisions for vendors or contractors that provide health care benefits to employees. Did not get a hearing in Senate committee and died. ABC was opposed to this bill.

SB 608 by Ellis - Relating to restrictions on state contracts with certain contractors. Passed and signed by the Governor on 6/15/07.  Monitored this bill for ABC

SB 650 by Carona - Relating to prompt payment of contractors and subcontractors under a contract to improve real property. Did not get a hearing in the Senate committee and died. ABC voted to somewhat support this bill.

SB704 by Lucio - Relating to the small contractor participation assistance program for certain construction projects. Passed and was signed by the Governor on 6/15/07.  ABC was neutral on this bill.

SB1221 by Carona - Relating to the provision of a preference in certain state construction contracts for contractors that provide health benefits to employees. Did not get a hearing in Senate committee and died. ABC voted and was strongly opposed to this bill.

MISC.

HB354 by Howard - Relating to estimating the rate of growth of the state’s economy for purposes of the constitutional spending limit. Sent to House subcommittee, but was never heard and the bill died. ABC voted and was neutral on this bill.

HB392 / SB115 by Menendez & VandePutte - Relating to certain political activities by a labor organization or an affiliate of a labor organization that receives state funds. These bills never received hearings in their committees. ABC voted to somewhat support these bills.

HB506 / SB487 by Bailey & Deuell - Relating to the regulation of the practice of construction and program management for capital improvement projects of school districts. These bills never received hearings in their committees - ABC voted to somewhat oppose these bills

HB2166 by Bailey - Relating to the creation and operation of a pilot program for certain voluntary alternative agreements regarding compensable injuries.  Never received a hearing, died in House committee. ABC voted and was neutral on this bill.

HB2184 / SB 1183 by Dukes & Watson - Relating to the right of certain municipalities to maintain local control over wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment. These were the meet and confer bills. Both bills died in the House. ABC voted to strongly oppose. We had a point of order ready to kill the Dukes bill in the house, and had an alert out requesting ABC to contact members, but could not get anyone to call the point of order. The Dukes bill died in the Senate