“ Holding Our Own in 2021 ”
By Kari Hebrank , Executive Vice President
There is no doubt the past year presented unusual challenges as w trying to remember to “ mute ” ourselves on Zoom calls , to planning worker shortages , we ’ ve all been “ holding our own .” Your state asso accomplishments during 2021 :
■ We passed our priority legislation ( HB 53 ) relating to the public works projects to remove the “ 50 percent or more state- appropriated funds ” funding threshold on competitive solicitations for construction services , thus increasing the prohibition on local preferences to any project that is statefunded .
■ We passed a law prohibiting any government entity that contracts for a public works project from preventing a certified , licensed or registered contractor , subcontractor , or material supplier from participating in the biding process based on the geographic location of its headquarters or offices or residences of its employees .( HB 53 )
■ We passed a bill to ensure our members could file a Notice of Commencement and protect their lien rights when public records are redacted ( HB 781 ) and defeated a bad lien law bill that would have affected lien waivers . ( SB 622 )
■ We helped obtain $ 111.7M for Wastewater Grants and $ 111.7M for Resiliency Projects by redistributing the documentary stamp taxes , while still preserving $ 200M for affordable housing needs ( SB 2512 ). We also secured $ 500M for Wastewater Grants and $ 500M for Sea Level Rise projects ; $ 734M for Water Restoration Assistance Programs , including $ 10M for septic- to -sewer conversion ; $ 11M for Small County Wastewater Treatment grants ; $ 135M for the Drinking Water Revolving Loan Program ; and , $ 211.2M for the Wastewater Revolving Loan Program ;
6 DITCHMEN • NOVEMBER 2021