April 19, 2024

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS NEWS

One Month Left - Countdown to Legislative Adjournment is On

General updates provided by AGC contract lobbyist, Sarah Psick.

After a full week, almost all supplemental budget bills have passed out of finance committees in order to meet today’s third deadline. The House also moved their omnibus tax bill which the Senate will roll out next week. We are still waiting for a bonding bill and don’t expect to see that until closer to the final weeks of the session.

While a lot of time was spent in committee this week, the final policy omnibus bills passed the House and Senate, with several moving to conference committee. As bills pass the House and Senate and are sent to a conference committee, here is a link to follow that activity which will be continually updated throughout the remainder of session.

As the committee work wrapped up, it was also the last regular committee hearing many committee chairs who are not running for reelection. Rep. Gene Pelowski (D, Winona) who is retiring after 38 years in the House, chaired his last House Higher Education committee; Rep. Mike Nelson (D, Brooklyn Park), has served for 22 years and chaired his last House Labor committee and, Rep. Frank Hornstein (D, Minneapolis) who is retiring after 22 years in the House, chaired his last House Transportation Finance committee. Rep. Hornstein was surprised when his committee took a brief recess and many of his House colleagues and staff streamed into the hearing room with a cake to honor his service (see picture below). Other House Committee Chairs who are retiring include Rep. Jerry Newton, (D, Coon Rapids; 14 years), Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn (D, Roseville; 8 years), Rep. Liz Olson (D, Duluth; 8 years), Rep. Laurie Pryor (D, Minnetonka; 8 years), Rep. Hodan Hassan (D, Minneapolis; 6 years). Here is the full list of retirement announcements to date.

Next Week: The Legislature is on recess until noon on Wednesday in honor of the Passover holiday, so it will be another shortened week. When they return, work will be largely focused on moving budget bills through the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees, as well as continued Floor sessions.

AGC’s Legislative Committee met this week to discuss underground utility locating, speed safety cameras in work zones, transportation finance and policy bills, worker misclassification/independent contractor test, labor and industry policy and finance bills, capital investment, and more bills impacting Minnesota’s construction industry. Our next meeting is scheduled for May 2. Please contact Laura Ziegler if you’d like to join the conversation.

Event: Legislative Funding for Infrastructure 101

Wednesday, May 1

Have you ever wondered how state transportation and infrastructure funding decisions get made? Legislators hear from numerous constituents about various funding needs. Who is educating them on transportation needs across the state? If the Transportation Industry does not advocate for funding, who is going to do it? Come learn more about transportation funding, how the legislative process works, and put your skills into action. Join your colleagues and make a difference for infrastructure funding in Minnesota. The state funding for programs and projects has a direct impact on the work we are able to do in the industry.

The Minnesota Transportation Alliance, MnIA, ASCE, APWA-MN, WTS, ACEC, AGC, MAPA, MUCA, MN County Engineers and City Engineers Association and other organizations are banding together to educate our members on the various funding options, as well as the legislative process, so we can collectively take action to help our industry to secure state funding. We need people who are interested in learning how they can become a better advocate for the transportation industry and putting those skills into action.

Our message: Infrastructure Funding – Don’t leave St. Paul without it!

RSVP for Briefing to: margaret@transportationalliance.com

AGC members- Please copy Laura Ziegler at lziegler@agcmn.org

10:00-11:15 am - AGC Conference Room (525 Park St., Suite 110 | St. Paul 55103)

Briefing on transportation and infrastructure funding

We will walk through the various transportation funding sources and the status of funding options for the 2024 Session. We will also provide talking points, key messages and assistance in talking with your local legislators.

11:15 am – 12:30 pm

Quick One-on-One Conversations with legislators at the Capitol

We will all head over to the Capitol to ask legislators to talk with us briefly about the importance of getting a capital bonding bill passed this session.

MEMBER NEWS

Frank Weiss (1960-2024)

We are deeply saddened to share news of the passing of Frank Weiss - President, Shafer Contracting. Frank was a friend and colleague to many in the industry and was known for his quiet leadership, gentlemanly demeanor and keen insight.

Frank served the industry through passionate dedication of his time and talent volunteering for service on many AGC committees and with collective bargaining activities. His presence will be deeply missed.

Arrangements and related information can be found here.

The entire AGC community extends our deepest sympathy to the Frank’s wife Michelle, children Jill and Frankie, the extended Weiss family and all our friends and colleagues at Shafer Contracting.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION (DEI) NEWS

VitalCog Gatekeeper Training

Did you know that Yolanda McIntosh, AGC’s Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, is available to provide Mental Health & Suicide Prevention in Construction VitalCog Gatekeeper Training for AGC members?

The vision of “VitalCog in Construction” is to cultivate a construction community of employees who are aspiring to the elimination of the devastating impact of suicide. Email Yolanda to learn more.

GENERAL NEWS

AGC Members can post Job Listings for FREE

Are you using all of your AGC member benefits? AGC member contractors can post job listings on the AGC website for free.

Learn how here, and contact Renee with any questions.

Full-summer overweight permits start April 22 in the Central frost zone

MnDOT will start full-summer overweight permits in the Central frost zone on Monday, April 22, at 12:01 am.

Full-summer overweight permits have already started in the South and Southeast frost zones. Seasonal load limit (frost) zones and restricted routes can be found on the MnDOT load limits map. Start and end dates and other load limit information are shown at mndot.gov/loadlimits.

Federal Reserve Spring Construction Survey

The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis needs your input on current conditions in the construction sector and at your company.

Please take this short survey to help the Fed better understand business conditions at your company and across the sector.

Why respond? A couple of reasons:

It provides real-time information to Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari for FOMC meetings (where the Fed decides interest rates and other monetary policy).
It provides real-time information to our partner organizations like AGC.

All responses are anonymous. To maintain anonymity, please do not include any self-identifying information in comments. If you receive this survey from multiple partners, please respond once.

Your input is greatly valued, and the Minneapolis Fed appreciates your time and insights on these important matters.

Faster Paving with Wirtgen's 102i and RDO

Tight paving schedule for an interstate highway? Northern Improvement Company's Superintendent Ryan Ziegler says Wirtgen’s 102i, RDO’s training and GPS guidance is a winning strategy to pave roads precisely. "We cut our dump truck times by 50%, which has increased the paving speed," he said. Ziegler emphasizes that the Wirtgen spreader and RDO outperformed their expectations. Learn more.

With over two decades in the construction industry, Dennis Howard, RDO Equipment Co. Senior Vice President and host of the equipment web series The Track, an equipment web series, has focused on all aspects of the company’s fleet management efforts. Used construction equipment values and heavy equipment sales are two of his key areas of expertise.

Help AGC and HCSS Improve Highway Work Zone Safety

Each year AGC of America conducts a survey of members involved in construction work on or near highways to evaluate the state of work zone safety. AGC will use the information collected from this survey as the main focus of a media and public education campaign to get the message out that drivers need to slow down and be more careful in work zones.

To do that, AGC wants to collect information on the number, severity, impacts and potential solutions to highway work zone crashes. They also want to know if you feel that current work zone laws, and enforcement efforts, are effective in the states where you operate.

Please take a few minutes to complete the survey by Friday, May 10. This will give enough time to analyze the results and release the results and safety messages to the media and broader public in advance of Memorial Day and the traditional start of the summer driving season.

Please do not hesitate to contact Brian Turmail with any questions, comments or concerns about this survey and the plans to use it to promote highway work zone safety.

Apply for Scholarships!

The application form for 2024-2025 AGC of Minnesota Foundation scholarships is open. Please share with any young people pursuing a degree in the construction industry!

EVENTS & NETWORKING

Expand the Toolbox: Reinventing our Construction Workforce Through Technology Advancements

Join us on Thursday, May 2 at Knutson Construction for an exciting event exploring the cutting-edge technologies evolving the construction industry! This event will host industry experts that will discuss the latest technological trends and innovations that are shaping the future of construction.

Contractors and Education - If you are looking to incorporate new technology into your business or update your workforce with the latest skills and knowledge, this event is perfect for you! We will cover a wide range of topics, from digital tools and software to advanced equipment that are changing the way we build.

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from industry leaders, participate in interactive panel discussion, and even experience live demos of the newest construction technology equipment in action.

Learn more and Register

CERT Connect Open House for ALL Small Businesses

Join many departments within Ramsey County, as well as city partners and the U of M, on Thursday, May 9 (8:00-10:30 a.m.) at the Maplewood Community Center for an opportunity for small businesses to have deliberate, worthwhile conversations with county staff who are directly involved in construction!

Learn more and Register