The Associated General Contractors of Missouri has released its members’ top twelve state legislative concerns for 2017.
1) and 2) The association leads off with support for more funding for transportation (including roads, bridges, and public transit) and utility infrastructure.
3) The association reasserts support for diversity and inclusive while calling on state agencies and political subdivisions to “utilize goals that are in alignment with the business and workforce capacity available in the affected area.”
4) The group wants better coordination of efforts to improve the academic skills, attitudes, and knowledge of construction workers and potential construction workers.
5) The AGC calls for political entities to use design-bid and construction management –at-risk under procedures “to ensure a level playing field for the contractors and design professionals in the construction industry.”
6) The contractors’ association also wants the adoption and enforcement of statewide building codes.
7) The association opposed broad changes in Missouri’s Mechanic’s Lien laws.
8) The AGC supports letting political entities utilize Public-Private Partnerships to get projects done, but only of they utilize prevailing wage.
9) The contractors’ association supports the concept of prevailing wage and opposed any major changes to current prevailing wage statutes.
10) The association stands in support of sustainability “without unusable or overly cumbersome regulations,” and calls for flexibility in the choice of certifying organization when a public entity wants a project certified.
11) The group calls for “more consistent application of environmental regulations” throughout the state and wants the MoDNR to approach enforcement by offering assistance to achieve compliance instead of fines and penalties, “which could financially cripple a contractor.”
12) The AGC “supports the continued availability of various economic development tools,” such as tax credits and tax increment financing, believing that they create jobs and revitalize communities.