Wednesday, February 11, 2015
By Joel Ebert, Capitol Bureau
Senate Republicans finalized a compromise on a bill that seeks to reform the state’s prevailing wage law late Wednesday afternoon.
The compromise would alter Senate Bill 361, which originally sought an outright repeal of prevailing wage rates for public construction projects.
Under the latest version of the bill, the outright repeal would be removed but two key components would be included.
One aspect would allow state-funded projects under $500,000 to not be subjected to prevailing wage rates.
The second aspect would change the manner in which the prevailing wage rates are determined. Currently the West Virginia Division of Labor determines the hourly prevailing wage rates by sending out a survey to both union and non-union companies throughout the state.