How the latest legislative session affects construction

Every time they meet, the state Legislature passes laws affecting almost every business and home in Washington. That is true of the construction industry, and we’re invested in the outcomes.

To that end, we wanted to give you a recap of the main elements of the 2023 legislative session and how it may affect your work. Here are just a few of the highlights from Olympia this year.

Construction-centric laws

Among those bills that passed were ones covering construction worker sick leave, cannabis and employment, ergonomics, apprenticeship requirements for municipalities, highway safety cameras, and the retainer cap on private work.

Funding for Core Plus
As part of the operating budget, Core Plus funding increases the amount of available money for construction grants. This year, it has grown from $350,000 to $550,000. These funds will help with construction projects for schools and skill centers that qualify for these grants.



Transportation funding

More than $13 billion is up for grabs over the next two years. Among the highlights are highway projects with no delays, investments in the state’s ferry system, improving traffic safety, reducing carbon emissions, and recruitment funds for transportation-related workers.

Insurance bills
Two bills passed that cover family and medical leave insurance for workers in the state. One bill established rates for programs, while the other provides employers access to a limited amount of claim information from the Employment Security Department.

What didn’t pass
Sometimes what doesn’t go into law is as important as what gets the green light, in our estimation. That is true for this year, as we worked successfully to kill bills on prevailing wage of private refineries, expanding the definition of “public works,” requiring environmental product declarations, and the controversial bill that would have eliminated the use of natural gas in homes and businesses. Some of these bills may or may not be attempted at the next session, but regardless we’ll be watching.

Acting as your eyes and ears

The Government Affairs team at AGCW provides many benefits to members of our organization, including lobbying for efforts that affect us all and providing easy-to-digest recaps from a lawmaking standpoint. This includes work being done in Olympia and federal and local-level government relations.

It’s just one way that AGCW advocates for your interests and provides benefits that make a meaningful difference in how you approach your business. To learn more about everything we do for our membership and how to get involved, visit our website.