PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
LABOR AND INDUSTRIES
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Prevailing wage, chapter 296-127 WAC, Scope of work descriptions.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: Chapter 39.12 RCW, RCW 43.22.270, and 43.22.051.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Prevailing wage rates on public work projects are determined and enforced according to the trade or occupation or "classification" of work actually performed. The classifications for over fifty construction occupations presently exist in policy form in documents entitled "Scope of Work Descriptions." The purpose of this rule-making order is to covert those policies into rules (WAC 296-127-01301 through 296-127-01391) and to amend WAC 296-127-013 to reflect the addition of the new scope of work rules. These rules are currently in effect using the emergency rule-making process. This rule making is also in the spirit of the Governor's Executive Order 97-02 on Regulatory Improvement by incorporating necessary policy into rule.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: No other state or federal agencies are known that regulate this subject.
Process for Developing New Rule: Parties interested in the formulation of these rules for proposal may contact the individual listed below. The public may also participate by commenting after amendments are proposed by providing written comments or giving oral testimony during the public hearing process.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Josh Swanson, Department of Labor and Industries, Specialty Compliance Services Division, P.O. Box 44400, Olympia, WA 98504-4400, phone (360) 902-6411, fax (360) 902-5292, e-mail swaj235@lni.wa.gov.
March 21, 2000
Gary Moore
Director