What's happening
This bill requires utility companies to use skilled workers and pay prevailing wages for street excavation projects in New York.
Why it matters
Raises labor standards for public safety. By requiring only competent, skilled workers for roadway excavation, the bill aims to reduce mistakes and hazards, potentially improving long-term road quality and public safety.
Ensures fair compensation for workers. Mandating prevailing wage rates aligns pay with local union standards, which can help protect workers from underpayment and support middle-class incomes in construction trades.
Strengthens oversight and accountability. The Department of Labor is given authority to enforce these rules, potentially increasing compliance and reducing the risk of unqualified contractors cutting corners during vital infrastructure work.
Could affect project costs and timelines. By limiting utility companies and their contractors to higher-paid, skilled labor, the bill may raise upfront costs or lengthen timelines for street excavation, but this could be offset by reduced need for repairs or corrections later.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Skilled Road Workers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to labor
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Require Skilled Road Workers
In Assembly Committee · Labor · Sponsor Michele Titus
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8773
IN SENATE
May 15, 2018
Introduced by Sen. GIANARIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Labor
AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to enacting the "roadway excavation quality assurance act"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "roadway excavation quality assurance act".
§ 2. The labor law is amended by adding a new section 28 to read as follows:
§ 28. Workers on excavations. Utility companies or their contractors, to whom a permit may be issued by the state, a county or a municipality to use or open a street, shall be required, before such permit shall be issued, to enter into an agreement that only competent workers skilled in the work required of them, shall be employed on the project for which such permit to use or open a street was issued, and that the prevailing wage for similar titles as established by the fiscal officer pursuant to section two hundred twenty of this chapter, be paid to those so employed. No permit shall be issued until such agreement shall have been entered into with the appropriate state, county or municipal agency, and all permits issued after the effective date of this section shall include therein a copy of this section. When permits are issued to utility companies or their contractors, the power to enforce the terms of this section shall be vested with the department consistent with the provisions of section two hundred twenty of this chapter.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06115-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the labor law, in relation to enacting the "roadway excavation quality assurance act"
Purpose
To ensure quality skilled laborers perform road excavation projects and require that workers be paid a prevailing wage.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 provides the title of the act.
Section 2 amends the labor law, adding a new section 28 to require competent, skilled workers perform excavation projects on streets where a permit is required. It also requires that workers on these projects be paid a prevailing wage.
Justification
Currently, utility companies and their contractors are required to use skilled, competent workers and pay prevailing wages in certain locali- ties with local prevailing wage laws. Existing regulations by OSHA and the State Department of Labor additionally require utility contractors throughout New York to provide training in safe-practices to their work- ers. Street excavation is dangerous for both workers and the public when the individuals performing the excavation are unskilled. Broken gas lines or communication cables can cause great disruption to local neigh- borhoods. The success of a similar law passed by New York city led the Legislature to support similar efforts by other municipalities with the enactment of chapter 591 of the laws of 2008. This bill will extend protection to the public and workers throughout New York whenever public contracts require the use of dangerous excavation work.
Legislative history
New Bill
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
On the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.