The ABC Georgia Chapter celebrated a victory May 6 when Gov. Nathan Deal (R) signed into law S.B. 179, which prohibits government entities from mandating project labor agreements (PLAs) on state-funded construction projects. 

The Joint Committee on Taxation May 6 released a report summarizing the findings and comments obtained from 11 working groups that were formed by the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee related to tax reform. The report is a part of an effort to overhaul the U.S. tax code.

Effective May 7, all employers are required to use the revised I-9 Form. Employers who fail to use the new form (revision date 03/08/13) after that date may be subject to penalties. 

ABC May 3 recognized the winners of its 13th annual Student Chapter Construction Management Competition during the 21st Century Workforce Development Conference, April 30 - May 3 in Birmingham, Ala. Teams of students from 14 colleges and universities across the nation competed for more than $6,000 in cash and prizes, as well as the coveted “Construction Management Champions” title.  

ABC May 3 recognized Michael Arledge, a journeyman electrician for Greiner Electric, Littleton, Colo., as its 2013 Craft Professional of the Year. ABC also announced Anthony Ayotte, craft training manager for the Cianbro Institute, Pittsfield, Maine, as its 2013 Craft Instructor of the Year. The awards were presented during ABC’s 21st Century Workforce Development Conference in Birmingham, Ala. 

ABC May 3 recognized the winners in its 2013 National Craft Championships competition, held at the association’s 21st Century Workforce Development Conference, April 30 – May 3 in Birmingham, Ala. 

As part of ABC’s partnership with the National Council for Public-Private Partnerships (NCPPP) to educate lawmakers and the construction industry about the benefits of public-private partnerships (P3s), ABC is sponsoring a conference June 27 at the Baltimore-Washington International Airport Hilton that will address Maryland’s recently enacted law and other state and local laws enabling P3s. Register now and view the agenda featuring Md. Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown (D) here: http://www.ncppp.org/events/ncppp-events/building-maryland-through-ppps/

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is requesting comments about the potential use of a government-mandated project labor agreement (PLA) on a large-scale federal project constructing dormitories and a conference center for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Harpers Ferry, W.Va. 

All employers are required to use the revised I-9 Form beginning May 7. Employers who fail to use the new form (revision date 03/08/13) on or after that date may be subject to penalties. 

On April 24, the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Labor (DOL) jointly published an “emergency” interim final rule, effective immediately, on how the wages for temporary non-agricultural H-2B workers should be calculated.