|
Rep. Kathy Haigh, serving the 35th District Serving Mason and portions of Grays Harbor, Kitsap, and Thurston counties. |
Legislature approves package of bills to improve efficiency, cut costs of public works projects
Rep. Kathy Haigh says legislation will help state get projects done faster, cheaper and better
April 13, 2009
OLYMPIA – Washington state spends billions of dollars every year on
public works projects. Rep. Kathy Haigh (D-Shelton) introduced a package of
legislation early in the session that she says will provide state and local
governments different options for managing construction projects, update
numerous contracting procedures, and save taxpayers potentially millions of
dollars.
The legislation was requested by the Capital Projects
Advisory Review Board, a board that makes recommendations to the Legislature
on ways to improve the quality, efficiency and accountability of public
works contracting methods.
“Strict rules around how these projects
can be bid out and contracted have frequently tied the hands of state and
local governments to a sometimes slow, more expensive way of doing
business,” says Haigh. “But because of the committee’s hard work, they’ve
identified numerous ways to give state and local governments flexibility in
how they bid work to contractors. These bills ensure the committee’s ideas
don’t just sit on a shelf, but can be put to practice by our cities,
counties and the state.”
Public works projects can be big,
multi-million dollar construction projects such as a new wastewater
treatment plant, or they can be small projects worth a few thousand dollars
such as replacing electrical wiring in a government building.
The
package of legislation includes HB 1197 to provide alternative public works
options, HB 1196 to increase dollar limits for small works roster projects
and HB 1195 to update provisions related to paying contractors. Haigh says
the many technical changes in the bills add up to a lot more flexibility for
governments to manage projects and reduce administrative costs.
HB
1196 and 1197 were signed today by the Governor. HB 1195 passed both the
House and Senate and now goes to the Governor for approval.