We have reached the final day of the main run of the 2016 Legislative Session.  The last day for committees to meet was Tuesday and all bills had to receive final floor action that day as well. 

AGC had two bills of interest this final week.  HB 1116, the bill to give cities the option to adopt an additional penny sales tax for a specific use for a specific time, made it all the way to the senate floor, where it was defeated 25-10. 

Also seeing action this last week was SB 47, which proposed to take two one hundredths from employer UI contributions and use it to fund the administration of the program.  SB 47 failed on the House floor with 34 yeas and 33 nays.  The bill needed a two thirds majority of 47 votes to pass. Special thanks to Representative Larry Zikmund for speaking against this bill on the floor.  Rep. Zikmund is a former executive director of the AGC Building Chapter.  AGC opposed SB 47 on the grounds that it was inappropriate to use employer contributions to fund the administration of the UI program and that general fund dollars would be a better source of funding.  While the DOL did not get all the funding for UI they requested, it should be noted that an appropriations bill was amended to give the Department of Labor $150,000 in one-time funding to upgrade computer systems used in administering the UI program.

SB 43, a companion bill to SB 47, asked for increased penalties on late UI filings.  It failed on the House floor in its initial vote, but was reconsidered and did pass.  AGC was monitoring that bill. 

Thanks to all members who participated in the legislative process this session.  Your input during weekly legislative phone calls or response to emails is invaluable in providing the best advocacy possible for AGC.  You can expect a final, printed report on the 2016 Legislative Session soon.