Proponents argue the bill would give non-union general contractors more equal opportunity to bid on multimillion dollar projects such as municipal power plants and office buildings, tax-backed water-management infrastructure projects and seaport construction, for example.

"(About) 95% of commercial contractors are non-union," Richard Watson, a Tallahassee, FL-based lobbyist representing the Associated Builders and Contractors, told members of the Senate Committee on Government Oversight and Productivity. "You have a small pool of union contractors. If you limit the bid with no open contracting, you favor union contractors."

Opponents argue project-labor agreements ensure an ample supply of typically higher-paid but qualified and skilled labor on public construction projects, which provide taxpayers with quality infrastructure on time and on budget.

Union officials oppose the proposed Open Contracting Act, which the committee approved in a 4-3 vote. Republican committee members favored the bill, with all Democratic members opposing it.

"This bill takes away home rule and the ability of local governments to enter into project-labor agreement," Marilyn P. Lenard, president of the Florida AFL-CIO, told committee members.

The bill specifically prohibits state, city, county and special-taxing districts from requiring contract bidders to enter into agreements with labor groups and discriminating against bidders for refusing to become signatories with labor groups.

It also prohibits tax-backed agencies from requiring bidders from entering into any agreement that requires employees to become members of a union, or pay dues, as a condition of employment.

Before it even reaches the Senate floor for a vote, the bill still must pass through several more committees including the Comprehensive Planning, Local and Military Affairs; Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and Appropriations on General Government.

A companion bill fared even better initially in the House of Representatives, where members of the Committee on State Administration approved the measure 5-0. That bill still must pass the House Council for Smarter Government before a floor vote.

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Oversight Committee Narrowly Approves Open Contracting Bill

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