Bill to Support Workers on Public Construction Projects Passes Committee

HB25-1130 would boost labor protections for construction jobs by state agencies

DENVER, CO – Yesterday, the Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee passed legislation sponsored by Senator Jessie Danielson, D-Wheat Ridge, to allow public projects to use Project Labor Agreements to ensure worker protections. 

“The health of Colorado’s public sector depends on high-quality, well-paid jobs protected by Project Labor Agreements that work for both employers and workers,” Danielson said. “We’ve passed measures in recent years to expand apprenticeship opportunities and build a skilled, protected workforce, and this bill would broaden these protections to the public construction sector.”

HB25-1130 would implement project labor provisions to ensure that state projects, like their energy sector counterparts, have the option and authorization to utilize this method.

The bill would define a project labor agreement as a collective bargaining agreement between a lead contractor for a public project and construction labor organizations to establish the terms and conditions of employment of the construction workforce on the public project. These agreements must include guarantees around strikes and lockouts, requirements to resolve disputes before project completion, and policy objectives regarding underrepresented minorities in the construction industry. 

This legislation builds on the Colorado Quality Apprenticeship Training Act of 2019, also sponsored by Senator Danielson, to establish apprenticeship protections for public projects and a 2023 law to create clear and fair working standards for Colorado workers transitioning into the clean energy sector. 

HB25-1130 now moves to the Senate floor for further consideration. Track its progress HERE.