Missouri Proposes Changes to Prevailing Wage Requirements
By: Gretchen Bolander
Updated: March 1, 2013
MISSOURI--- Missouri lawmakers are considering making changes to the prevailing wage requirements. State representatives have approved House Bill 34, which would exempt most school construction from the requirement.
Current Missouri law says that taxpayer funded construction projects, like school and city projects, maintain mandated minimum pay levels, known as prevailing wage. Opponents say those requirements are set unnecessarily high, driving up construction costs.
"Extremely hard time coming up with the money to do anything of repairs or building, even to the point of him telling a bunch of the guys getting together and coming over to roof the school because they could not afford the prevailing wage to get it done," said Representative Bill Lant, Mo. District 131.
House Bill 34 isn't alone, other proposals would change prevailing wage requirements in disaster recovery, and exempt smaller counties from the mandate.
Current Missouri law says that taxpayer funded construction projects, like school and city projects, maintain mandated minimum pay levels, known as prevailing wage. Opponents say those requirements are set unnecessarily high, driving up construction costs.
"Extremely hard time coming up with the money to do anything of repairs or building, even to the point of him telling a bunch of the guys getting together and coming over to roof the school because they could not afford the prevailing wage to get it done," said Representative Bill Lant, Mo. District 131.
House Bill 34 isn't alone, other proposals would change prevailing wage requirements in disaster recovery, and exempt smaller counties from the mandate.
