Legislative Achievements
CEA advocacy has been making a real difference, thanks in large part to our members' PAC contributions and activism.
Some of our legislative advocacy achievements include:
131st General Assembly
BWC Relief
- Supported legislation to allow a state fund employer to have a workers' compensation claim that is likely to be subrogated by a third party paid from the surplus fund account in the state insurance fund, rather than charged to the employer's experience. The bill pertains to certain circumstances when a claim is based on a motor vehicle accident involving a third party.
Medical Marijuana
- Maintained strong employer protections regarding Medical Marijuana
Cuyahoga Small Business Enterprise Program
- Backed concepts for Public Works to clarify parameters that will be used to identify contracts which will use set asides and establishment of a yearly report of SBE programs starting in 2017.
Cuyahoga County Performance Bond and Insurance Requirements
- Promoted language to create Reserve Coverage for Performance Bond Waivers and to have Council review this during the budget process (Backstop provision)
- Added a Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee to the legislation with CEA as a member
Community Benefits Memoramdum of Understanding
- CEA presented a letter of support for the County's plan to endorse the existing CBA MOU between the City of Cleveland, CEA, the Building Trades, and others.
129th General Assembly
Prevailing Wage
- Maintained coverage of public college and university construction
- Restored interested party enforcement language
- Maintained a separate threshold for renovation work
- Dramatically reduced the threshold for renovation work from $5M to $38,000 in 2011, $60,000 in 2012 and $75,000 in 2013
Reverse Auction, Construction Reform
- Successfully opposed reverse auction bill
- Obtained construction reform with surety bonding protections
Workers’ Compensation
- Secured appointment of CEA representative on BWC Interstate Jurisdiction Workgroup
128th General Assembly
Workers’ Compensation
- Secured appointment of Labor representative on BWC Privatization Study Committee
- Testified for and obtained temporary EMR construction industry cap to insulate contractors from BWC rules changes
127th General Assembly
Transportation Improvement Districts (TIDs)
- Secured amendment of legislation that requires that a construction project carried out by a TID be subject to normal prevailing wage and competitive bidding requirements
Workers’ Compensation
- Secured language requiring the BWC to adopt a more transparent rating system
- Secured removal of language banning modification of Drug Free Workplace programs
Ohio School Facilities Commission
- Successfully resisted amendment exempting school construction projects from paying prevailing wage
- Successfully supported resolution eliminating rules that blocked payment of prevailing wage for school construction
- Successfully supported responsible bidder requirements
126th General Assembly
Prevailing Wage
- Defeated legislation banning interested party enforcement of prevailing wage
- Defeated legislation local schools’ ability to decide on paying prevailing wage
- Defeated legislation that would have completely repealed prevailing wage
Transportation Improvement Districts
- Supported amendment calling for expiration of TIDs, which are normally exempt from prevailing wage
Department of Administrative Services
- Secured legislation giving contractors more time and notice prior to DAS claiming contractors’ funds in escrow
Drug Free Workplace
- Led effort to pass law requiring that construction projects receiving state money institute a drug free workplace program
125th General Assembly
Tort Reform
- Advocated for and helped pass tort reform law
Highway Funding
- Secured language providing more funding for highway projects
Federal
- Advocated for full funding of the Highway Trust Fund (2008)
County
- Supported the addition of Responsible Bidder Criteria, Equity language, and general construction delivery language to the Cuyahoga County Contracting Ordinances
Help Us Make a Difference
Support our continued efforts to advocate on behalf of the Ohio Construction Industry. Donate to our PAC today.