2021 Construction Related Bills to Keep an Eye On [UPDATED]

Each year here at Musings, I try and highlight some key construction industry-related bills that are winding their way through the Virginia General Assembly.  This year is no different, though this year does not have the action level that prior years have had.

Without further ado, here are those that I spotted and which I will be “Tracking” as they move through the sausage-making process:

HB2288– Virginia Public Procurement Act; construction contracts; requirement to submit list of subcontractors. Requires bidders or offerors on contracts for construction of $250,000 or more to submit along with their bid or proposal a list of all subcontractors, regardless of tier, that the bidder or offeror intends at the time of submitting the bid or proposal to use on the contract to perform work valued at $50,000 or more, including labor and materials. The bill requires such list to include certain information about each contractor. This bill also includes a re-passage provision that requires that it be re-enacted in the 2022 session to become effective.  Finally, the Senate General Laws and Technology committee has continued this to the First Special Session.

SB1209– Liability of general contractor for wages of subcontractor’s employees. Provides that there is a valid defense to a claim of nonpayment of wages by a general contractor to a subcontractor’s employees if the general contractor obtains a written certification that (i) the subcontractor and each of his sub-subcontractors has paid all employees all wages due for the period during which the wages are claimed for the work performed on the project and (ii) to the subcontractor’s knowledge all sub-subcontractors have also paid their employees. The bill also provides that the terms “general contractor” and “subcontractor” shall not include persons solely furnishing materials for the purposes of the liability of a contractor for wages due to a subcontractor’s employees.

This bill passed the Senate and was continued to Special Session 1 by Senate committee.  [UPDATE]– This Bill has been reported out of Committee by the House and is likely to pass.  [UPDATE 2] This Bill passed the House on a second reconsideration vote. [UPDATE 3] The bill has been signed by the Governor and will go into effect on JULY 1, 2021.

SB1305– Virginia Public Procurement Act; construction contracts; subcontractor workforce requirements. Requires all public bodies in a locality with a population in excess of 25,000 and covered institutions, defined in the bill, to include in every construction contract of more than $500,000 certain provisions related to the outsourcing of subcontracted work, which a contractor shall agree to during the performance of such contract. Such provisions mandate that a contractor shall only utilize subcontractors that certify in writing to the contract that they will outsource no more than 10 percent of the cost of the work subcontracted for, excluding the provision of materials, with specified exceptions.

Bill passed the Senate and has been postponed to the first Special Session by the House.

SB1108–  General district courts; jurisdictional limits. Increases from $25,000 to $50,000 the maximum civil jurisdictional limit of general district courts for civil actions for personal injury and wrongful death. The bill contains an emergency clause.

[UPDATE] This bill has passed the Senate and the House and been signed by the Governor to go into effect July 1, 2021.  While it does not apply to contract claims, the bill will assist with any personal injury claims that may occur at a job site.

As always, I recommend that you read the full text of these bills and consult a Virginia construction lawyer with questions.  If there are other bills of note that I have missed, please let me know in your comments or by email.

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