The New York State legislative session officially wrapped up on June 4th. It was a very busy session, more than 1,000 bills were passed by both houses, with an additional 600+ bills passed. individually, by either the Senate or Assembly.

ABC Empire State Chapter’s Government Affairs team has prepared a recap of the key pieces of legislation that we have been been monitoring since the budget passed in April.

The following is a comprehensive list of bills that impact ABC members and the status of those bills as of today.

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The Chapter will be hosting an informational webinar to brief members on many of these bills and their impact on your business.

CLICK AT RIGHT TO REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR:

The state’s largest non-union construction trade organization has expanded after absorbing another trade group.

The Empire State Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is merging with the New York Construction Alliance (NYCA), according to an ABC statement.

NYCA’s leadership will join the Empire State Chapter’s Regional Leadership Committee which guides ABC’s work on legislative issues, safety policy, education and business development in New York City, and around the state. The newly combined organization will now work under the ABC Empire State Chapter name.

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On June 3, 2022, the New York State Legislature passed Senate Bill S9427/Assembly Bill A10477 (the Bill)—a new wage transparency law that would amend the New York Labor Law to add new Section 194-b. If enacted, the new law would require covered employers to disclose compensation or a range of compensation to applicants and employees upon issuing an employment opportunity for internal or public viewing, or upon employee request. The Bill is intended to enhance transparency around compensation and reducing any existing wage disparities among employees.

The Bill defines a covered employer as: (i) “any person, corporation, limited liability company, association, labor organization or entity employing four or more employees in any occupation, industry, trade, business or service, or any agent thereof;” and (ii) “any person, corporation, limited liability company, association or entity acting as an employment agent or recruiter, or otherwise connecting applicants with employers, provided that “employer” shall not include a temporary help firm” as the term is defined under New York Labor Law Section 916 (5).

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ABC member electrical contractors and firms performing construction work related to Electric Vehicle charging stations need to be aware of efforts by the Biden administration to push this work towards union labor and unionized contractors. The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration last week announced a NPRM for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program that mandates government-registered apprenticeship requirements and the controversial IBEW-backed Electric Vehicle Industry Training Program, but also provides states an alternative for programs that provide EV-specific training.

ABC will be providing additional analysis and information to ABC members and industry and government stakeholders, but the language in question is on page 36 and page 70 of the NPRM. For background purposes, this February 2, 2022 ABC Newsline article contains an ABC comment letter filed in response to the FHWA’s Request For Information about the NEVI program earlier this year, in which ABC raised concerns about EVITP and registered apprenticeship requirements on EV charging station installations receiving NEVI money.  ABC will be investigating this with members and will comment on the NPRM within the 60-day comment period likely closing in mid-August.

If you know of members who perform EV charging station work currently, or would like to get into this marketplace, please reach out to Michael Altman and Ben Brubeck. This may also be an opportunity for ABC chapter workforce development efforts and registered apprenticeship programs specific to electrical trades.

Accidental injury has become the third leading cause of death for the first time in U.S. history. Based on new injury statistics, an American is accidentally injured every second and killed every three minutes by a preventable event, like a drug overdose, vehicle crash, fall, drowning or another preventable incident.

In 2020 alone, more than 4 million workplace injuries required medical attention in the U.S.

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ABC Empire State Chapter | www.abcnys.org