Bill to set prevailing wage for building construction dies

By Cy Ryan

Friday, April 17, 2009 | 2:49 p.m.

CARSON CITY – By a 10-10 tie vote, the Senate has defeated a prevailing wage bill that could increase the cost of government buildings.

The state labor commissioner annually determines the prevailing wages for construction workers in each of the 17 counties.

Senate Bill 376, backed by organized labor, would require the labor commissioner in the future to consider overtime pay, shift differential and subsistence and traveling time in computing the prevailing wage to be paid on government construction.

Senate Minority Leader William Raggio, R-Reno, said the Committee on Government Affairs, in processing the bill, did not consider the recommendations of the Associated General Contractors.

He said this would mean taxpayers would be footing higher costs for public projects.

No one spoke in favor of the bill on the floor. Sen. Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas, who voted against the bill, served notice he would ask that the bill be re-considered Monday. He said the proponents are coming with an amendment.

But Raggio cautioned that the bill faces a possible veto by Gov. Jim Gibbons.

Voting against the bill besides Raggio and Coffin were Republicans Mark Amodei of Carson City; Barbara Cegavske and Dennis Nolan, both of Las Vegas, Mike McGinness of Fallon, Dean Rhoads of Elko, Randolph Townsend of Reno and Maurice Washington of Sparks. Bernice Mathews, a Democrat from Reno, also voted against the bill. Sen. Warren Hardy, R-Las Vegas abstained because of his employment in a contractors association.