As we all look forward to summer, please take 4 minutes to watch the video below and remember the people who work along our roadways in construction zones and who also want to enjoy summer and the rest of their lives.

AGC of America and HCSS conducted a nationwide work zone safety study this April and May. Over 900 contractors completed the survey. View the national and Minnesota results. Thank you to our members who contributed to this survey.

A New Era in Minnesota: Legislative Session Closes with Record-Setting Investments and Policy Impacts

The ink is still drying on the 2023 state budget bills signed into law this week. A record $17.5 billion budget surplus coupled with a DFL trifecta produced one of the most impactful legislative sessions in decades. Everyone has their own take on whether the impacts are good, bad, in-between, or whether it remains to be seen, but calling it “historic” is not hyperbole when it comes to the number of bills introduced and passed, and is true for AGC of MN’s top priority issue – infrastructure investment. A late Friday night agreement on May 19 - just three days before the legislature had to adjourn- set into motion a strong bipartisan $2.6 billion dollar capital investment/bonding bill. The package provides for a $1.5 billion general obligation bonding bill, $1 billion cash capital investment bill, and $300 million for nursing homes. Additionally, the transportation budget bill released on Saturday contained unprecedented levels of ongoing investments in road, bridges, transit, airports, and more.

AGC of MN Board President Brent Wilber of Ames Construction released the following statement:

"Just like in construction, it takes a strong team to see a project through. We are thankful for the leadership from the key committee chairs- Representatives Frank Hornstein, Erin Koegel, and Fue Lee, and Senators Scott Dibble and Sandy Pappas- for putting in the work this session. We deeply appreciate minority leads Dean Urdahl and Karin Housley for their partnership and getting to “yes” on a bonding bill. The capital investments made in infrastructure this session are truly historic and without precedent. Our public building and transportation systems are the mainstay of a strong public infrastructure network and support communities throughout Minnesota. AGC of Minnesota members recognize Speaker Melissa Hortman, Minority Leader Lisa Demuth, Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic, and Minority Leader Mark Johnson for their commitment to funding our state’s most utilized and most basic need- our infrastructure."

Tim Worke, CEO of AGC of MN, released the following statement:

"The Minnesota Construction Community is well positioned and excited to put shovels in the ground, and get to work building the underpinnings of a strong and sustainable economy for Minnesota’s future. AGC member contractors are among the country’s most sophisticated, economical, and safe contractors that have provided quality and value construction services for more than 100 years. We are grateful to Governor Walz, Lt. Governor Flanagan, and legislators for promoting the vision and having the courage to support investing in our State’s most fundamental assets - our building and transportation infrastructure."

Watch your inboxes! A full legislative summary for the MN Construction Industry and funding breakdown will be available next week.

Post-Session Webinars for Members

AGC of MN will be hosting a three-part webinar series post-session on infrastructure investments and navigating new policies in construction. Registration is open for the first webinar.

These webinars are open to all AGC members.

Part One

Get a Sense for the Dollars and Cents: 2023 Legislative Overview for the MN Construction Industry

Wednesday, June 7 | 11:00 AM-Noon

Part Two

A Dive into Paid Leave, Safe & Sick Time, & Contractor Liability for Wage Theft

Wednesday, June 28 (registration coming soon)

Part Three

A Conversation with Public Owners on Program Investments and Delivery

July, date TBD (registration coming soon)

SCOTUS Decision on WOTUS Reins in Federal Permitting Excesses that Stifle Economic Activity

The Associated General Contractors of America’s chief executive officer, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement in reaction to today’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court regarding the Waters of the U.S.:

“The Supreme Court has provided much-needed clarity on what is, and is not, a Water of the U.S. This decision will return consistency and sanity to the permitting process. The decision will allow vital infrastructure and development projects to proceed in a timely manner while still providing strong protections for the actual waters of the U.S. The decision also validates the friend of the court brief we filed in this case and that the court ultimately supported. It also bolsters AGC’s ongoing legal challenges to the Biden administration’s related rule." Read More

Full-summer overweight permits start in the south, central seasonal load limit zones

Full-summer overweight permits will start in the SOUTH zone Tuesday, May 30, at 12:01 a.m.

Full-summer overweight permits will start in the CENTRAL zone Wednesday, May 31, at 12:01 a.m.

Seasonal load limit 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.

Formatted Wage Allocations

Wage Allocations are available! AGC has consolidated and made all 2023 wage allocations available to members here—the numbers organized in the same format for all trades and columns are added (and color coded) to help its use and to answer questions (eg what number to use for prevailing wage survey, what is the taxable/nontaxable income, what’s the difference between gross wage and total amount paid which would include the other fees). If you have any questions, feel free to email Mike. Need login credentials? Email Renee.

New Collective Bargaining Agreements

New CBAs are being finalized and should be online next week. If you did not assign bargaining authority to AGC and signed to the industry agreements through the ‘to be bound form,’ then you need to re-sign to the new agreement. Be sure to download the new to be bound form here, sign, and return to Mike. 

Remember, this applies only if you did not assign bargaining authority to AGC (if you did, then you are good).

STP Classes: Coming this Fall!

Development and leadership training are key components of employee retention, and strengthen your team! Register your employees for these upcoming Supervisory Training Program classes. Students who complete all six units (in any order) receive a graduation certificate through AGC of America. Registration is now open for the first four sessions.

• Unit 2: Communication (September/October)
• Unit 3: Planning & Scheduling (September/October)
• Unit 1: Leadership & Motivation (October/November)
• Unit 5: Improving Productivity/Managing Project Costs (October/November)
• Unit 4: Contract Documents (November/December)
• Unit 6: Risk Management & Problem Solving (November/December)

2024 Construction Summit:

RFP for speakers and contractor input!

AGC is soliciting input from contractors and speakers

for the next Minnesota Construction Summit (January 17-18, 2024).

If you have a presentation you would like to propose for an educational session, OR if you are a contractor with a suggestion for the kind of education you'd be interested in attending, please take this brief survey!

Save the Date!

Mark your calendar for the following upcoming AGC events:

• Golf Tournament: August 4, 2023 (Keller Golf Course)
• AGC & MBEX Saints Game: August 9, 2023 (CHS Field)
• Sporting Clays Fundraiser: September 13, 2023 (Minnesota Horse & Hunt Club)
• Holiday Reception: December 6, 2023 (Quincy Hall)
• 2024 AGC Honors: January16, 2024 (St. Paul Event Center)
• 2024 Minnesota Construction Summit: January 17-18 (St. Paul RiverCentre)