BILL NUMBER: AB 1646	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER   954
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   SEPTEMBER 30, 2000
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR   SEPTEMBER 29, 2000
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY   SEPTEMBER 1, 2000
	PASSED THE SENATE   AUGUST 30, 2000
	AMENDED IN SENATE   AUGUST 29, 2000
	AMENDED IN SENATE   AUGUST 25, 2000
	AMENDED IN SENATE   AUGUST 7, 2000
	AMENDED IN SENATE   AUGUST 30, 1999
	AMENDED IN SENATE   AUGUST 16, 1999
	AMENDED IN SENATE   JULY 1, 1999
	AMENDED IN SENATE   JUNE 24, 1999

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Steinberg

                        MARCH 4, 1999

   An act to amend Sections 1723, 1726, 1727, and 1773.1 of, to add
Sections 1741 and 1743 to, to add and repeal Sections 1742 and 1742.1
of, to repeal Sections 1730, 1731, 1732, 1733, and 1771.7 of, to
repeal and amend Section 1775 of, and to repeal and add Section
1771.6 of, the Labor Code, relating to public works.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1646, Steinberg.  Public works:  payments.
   (1) Existing law regulating public works contracts requires the
awarding body of a public works contract to withhold and retain from
payments to the contractor all wages and penalties that have been
forfeited pursuant to the contract or existing law.  The awarding
body is required to transfer all wages and penalties retained, to the
Labor Commissioner for disbursement pursuant to specified provisions
whenever a contractor fails to bring a suit against the awarding
body for recovery of wages and penalties withheld within 90 days
after the completion of the contract and formal acceptance of the
job.
   This bill would require the awarding body to report promptly any
suspected violations of the laws regulating public works contracts to
the Labor Commission and to retain all amounts required to satisfy
any civil wage and penalty assessment issued by the Labor
Commissioner.
   (2) Existing law authorizes the contractor to bring suit for the
limited purpose of recovery of the penalties or forfeitures withheld.
  Existing law permits the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement to
intervene in a contractor's suit for recovery of amounts withheld,
provides for the deposit of wages for workers who cannot be located
into the Industrial Relations Unpaid Wages Fund, and provides for the
deposit of penalties into the General Fund.  Existing law, until
January 1, 2003, requires a contractor to withhold moneys due a
subcontractor in an amount sufficient to pay the wages that are the
subject of a claim filed with the Division of Labor Standards
Enforcement, as directed by the division, if the body awarding the
public works contract has not withheld sufficient moneys to pay the
wage claims.  Existing law requires the contractor to pay those
moneys to the subcontractor after receipt of notification that the
claim has been resolved, or to pay those moneys to the awarding body,
under specified circumstances.
   This bill would repeal these provisions and instead would require
the Labor Commissioner to issue a civil wage and penalty assessment
to the contractor or subcontractor or both if the Labor Commissioner
determines after investigation that there has been a violation of the
laws regulating public works contracts.  The bill would permit an
affected contractor or subcontractor to obtain review of a civil wage
and penalty assessment by transmitting a written request for a
hearing to the office of the Labor Commissioner that appears on the
assessment within 60 days after service of the assessment and would
require an impartial hearing officer, until January 1, 2005, and then
an administrative law judge appointed by the Director of Industrial
Relations to commence a hearing within 90 days of receipt of the
request.  The bill would permit an affected contractor or
subcontractor to obtain review of the decision of the director, until
January 1, 2005, and then an administrative law judge by filing a
petition for a writ of mandate to the superior court within 45 days
after service of the decision.  The bill would provide for liquidated
damages in an amount equal to the amount of unpaid wages, as
specified.  The bill would also authorize informal settlement
meetings.
   The bill would provide that the contractor and subcontractor are
jointly and severally liable for all amounts due pursuant to a final
order or a judgment on that final order, but would require the Labor
Commissioner to collect amounts due from the subcontractor before
pursuing the claim against the contractor.  The bill would require
that the wage claim be satisfied from the amounts collected prior to
those amounts being applied to penalties and that the money be
prorated among all workers if an insufficient amount is recovered to
pay each worker in full.  The bill would require wages for workers
who cannot be located to be placed in the Industrial Relations Unpaid
Wage Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, and penalties to be
paid into the General Fund.
   (3) Existing law requires any political subdivision that enforces
the laws regulating public works contracts and any court collecting
fines or penalties that result from enforcement actions by political
subdivisions to deposit penalties or forfeitures withheld from any
contract payment in the General Fund of the political subdivision.
Existing law authorizes a contractor to appeal an enforcement action
by a political subdivision to the Director of Industrial Relations.
   The bill would repeal and recast this provision to apply to any
awarding body that enforces the laws regulating public works
contracts in accordance with specified provisions of existing law.
The bill would require such an awarding body to provide written
notice of the withholding of contract payments to the contractor and
subcontractor, as specified.  The withholding of contract payments
would be reviewable in the same manner as a civil penalty order of
the Labor Commissioner.
   (4) Existing law provides that per diem wages shall be deemed to
include employer payments for health and welfare, pension, vacation,
travel, and subsistence pay, apprenticeship or other training
programs, and similar purposes.  Existing law requires the
representative of any craft, classification, or type of worker needed
to execute a public works contract entered into with the state to
file with the Department of Industrial Relations, fully executed
copies of the collective bargaining agreements for the particular
craft, classification, or type of work involved for the purposes of
determining the per diem wages.
   This bill would specify the employer contributions, costs, and
payments that employer payments may include and would provide that
employer payments not required to be provided by state or federal law
are a credit against the obligation to pay the general prevailing
rate of wages.  However, credits for employer payments would not
reduce the obligation to pay the hourly straight time or overtime
wages found to be prevailing.  This bill would expand the requirement
that copies of collective bargaining agreements be filed with the
Department of Industrial Relations to apply to representatives of any
craft, classification, or type of worker needed to execute a public
works contract entered into with a public entity other than the
state.  The bill would revise the filing requirements to permit, if
the collective bargaining agreement has not been formalized, the
temporary filing of a typescript of the final draft accompanied by a
statement under penalty of perjury as to its effective date.  Because
this bill would impose additional duties on local agency employers,
expand the scope of the existing crime of perjury, and provide that a
violation of these provisions is a misdemeanor, this bill would
impose a state-mandated local program.
   (5) This bill provides that it would become operative on July 1,
2001.
  (6) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state.  Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement, including the creation of a State Mandates Claims Fund
to pay the costs of mandates that do not exceed $1,000,000 statewide
and other procedures for claims whose statewide costs exceed
$1,000,000.
   This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no
reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
   With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that,
if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains
costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall
be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  The Legislature declares that its intent in adopting
this act is to provide contractors and subcontractors with a prompt
administrative hearing in the event that the contractor or
subcontractor is alleged by the Labor Commissioner or an awarding
body to have violated Labor Code provisions governing the obligations
of contractors and subcontractors on public works projects, and to
provide that the exclusive method for review of the decision after
the administrative hearing is by petition for writ of mandate under
Section 1094.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure.  It is not the intent
of this act to preclude remedies otherwise authorized by law to
remedy violations of this chapter.
  SEC. 2.  Section 1723 of the Labor Code is amended to read:
   1723.  "Worker" includes laborer, worker, or mechanic.
  SEC. 3.  Section 1726 of the Labor Code is amended to read:
   1726.  The body awarding the contract for public work shall take
cognizance of violations of the provisions of this chapter committed
in the course of the execution of the contract, and shall promptly
report any suspected violations to the Labor Commissioner.
   If the awarding body determines as a result of its own
investigation that there has been a violation of this chapter and
withholds contract payments, the procedures in Section 1771.6 shall
be followed.
  SEC. 4.  Section 1727 of the Labor Code is amended to read:
   1727.  (a) Before making payments to the contractor of money due
under a contract for public work, the awarding body shall withhold
and retain therefrom all amounts required to satisfy any civil wage
and penalty assessment issued by the Labor Commissioner under this
chapter.  The amounts required to satisfy a civil wage and penalty
assessment shall not be disbursed by the awarding body until receipt
of a final order that is no longer subject to judicial review.
   (b) If the awarding body has not retained sufficient money under
the contract to satisfy a civil wage and penalty assessment based on
a subcontractor's violations, the contractor shall, upon the request
of the Labor Commissioner, withhold sufficient money due the
subcontractor under the contract to satisfy the assessment and
transfer the money to the awarding body.  These amounts shall not be
disbursed by the awarding body until receipt of a final order that is
no longer subject to judicial review.
  SEC. 5.  Section 1730 of the Labor Code is repealed.
  SEC. 6.  Section 1731 of the Labor Code is repealed.
  SEC. 7.  Section 1732 of the Labor Code is repealed.
  SEC. 8.  Section 1733 of the Labor Code is repealed.
  SEC. 9.  Section 1741 is added to the Labor Code, to read:
   1741.  If the Labor Commissioner or his or her designee determines
after an investigation that there has been a violation of this
chapter, the Labor Commissioner shall with reasonable promptness
issue a civil wage and penalty assessment to the contractor or
subcontractor or both.  The assessment shall be in writing and shall
describe the nature of the violation and the amount of wages,
penalties, and forfeitures due and shall include the basis for the
assessment.  The assessment shall be served not later than 180 days
after the filing of a valid notice of completion in the office of the
county recorder in each county in which the public work or some part
thereof was performed, or not later than 180 days after acceptance
of the public work, whichever occurs last.  However, if the
assessment is served after the expiration of this 180-day period, but
before the expiration of an additional 180 days, and the awarding
body has not yet made full payment to the contractor, the assessment
is valid up to the amount of the funds retained.  Service of the
assessment shall be completed pursuant to Section 1013 of the Code of
Civil Procedure by first-class and certified mail to the contractor,
subcontractor, and awarding body.  The assessment shall advise the
contractor and subcontractor of the procedure for obtaining review of
the assessment.  The Labor Commissioner shall, to the extent
practicable, ascertain the identity of any bonding company issuing a
bond that secures the payment of wages covered by the assessment and
any surety on a bond, and shall serve a copy of the assessment by
certified mail to the bonding company or surety at the same time
service is made to the contractor, subcontractor, and awarding body.
However, no bonding company or surety shall be relieved of its
responsibilities because it failed to receive notice from the Labor
Commissioner.
  SEC. 10.  Section 1742 is added to the Labor Code, to read:
   1742.  (a) An affected contractor or subcontractor may obtain
review of a civil wage and penalty assessment under this chapter by
transmitting a written request to the office of the Labor
Commissioner that appears on the assessment within 60 days after
service of the assessment.  If no hearing is requested within 60 days
after service of the assessment, the assessment shall become final.

   (b) Upon receipt of a timely request, a hearing shall be commenced
within 90 days before the director, who shall appoint an impartial
hearing officer possessing the qualifications of an administrative
law judge pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 11502 of the
Government Code. The appointed hearing officer shall be an employee
of the department, but shall not be an employee of the Division of
Labor Standards Enforcement.  The contractor or subcontractor shall
be provided an opportunity to review evidence to be utilized by the
Labor Commissioner at the hearing within 20 days of the receipt of
the written request for a hearing.  Any evidence obtained by the
Labor Commissioner subsequent to the 20-day cutoff shall be promptly
disclosed to the contractor or subcontractor.
   The contractor or subcontractor shall have the burden of proving
that the basis for the civil wage and penalty assessment is
incorrect.  The assessment shall be sufficiently detailed to provide
fair notice to the contractor or subcontractor of the issues at the
hearing.
   Within 45 days of the conclusion of the hearing, the director
shall issue a written decision affirming, modifying, or dismissing
the assessment.  The decision of the director shall consist of a
notice of findings, findings, and an order.  This decision shall be
served on all parties and the awarding body pursuant to Section 1013
of the Code of Civil Procedure by first-class mail at the last known
address of the party on file with the Labor Commissioner.  Within 15
days of the issuance of the decision, the director may reconsider or
modify the decision to correct an error, except that a clerical error
may be corrected at any time.
   The director shall adopt regulations setting forth procedures for
hearings under this subdivision.
   (c) An affected contractor or subcontractor may obtain review of
the decision of the director by filing a petition for a writ of
mandate to the appropriate superior court pursuant to Section 1094.5
of the Code of Civil Procedure within 45 days after service of the
decision.  If no petition for writ of mandate is filed within 45 days
after service of the decision, the order shall become final.  If it
is claimed in a petition for writ of mandate that the findings are
not supported by the evidence, abuse of discretion is established if
the court determines that the findings are not supported by
substantial evidence in the light of the whole record.
   (d) A certified copy of a final order may be filed by the Labor
Commissioner in the office of the clerk of the superior court in any
county in which the affected contractor or subcontractor has property
or has or had a place of business.  The clerk, immediately upon the
filing, shall enter judgment for the state against the person
assessed in the amount shown on the certified order.
   (e) A judgment entered pursuant to this section shall bear the
same rate of interest and shall have the same effect as other
judgments and shall be given the same preference allowed by law on
other judgments rendered for claims for taxes.  The clerk shall not
charge for the service performed by him or her pursuant to this
section.
   (f) An awarding body that has withheld funds in response to a
civil wage and penalty assessment under this chapter shall, upon
receipt of a certified copy of a final order that is no longer
subject to judicial review, promptly transmit the withheld funds, up
to the amount of the certified order, to the Labor Commissioner.
   (g) This section shall provide the exclusive method for review of
a civil wage and penalty assessment by the Labor Commissioner under
this chapter or the decision of an awarding body to withhold contract
payments pursuant to Section 1771.5.
   (h) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2005, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2005, deletes or extends
that date.
  SEC. 11.  Section 1742 is added to the Labor Code, to read:
   1742.  (a) An affected contractor or subcontractor may obtain
review of a civil wage and penalty assessment under this chapter by
transmitting a written request to the office of the Labor
Commissioner that appears on the assessment within 60 days after
service of the assessment.  If no hearing is requested within 60 days
after service of the assessment, the assessment shall become final.

   (b) (1) Upon receipt of a timely request, a hearing shall be
commenced within 90 days before an administrative law judge appointed
by the Director of Industrial Relations.  The appointed hearing
judge shall be an employee of the department, but shall not be an
employee of the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement.  The
contractor or subcontractor shall be provided an opportunity to
review evidence to be utilized by the Labor Commissioner at the
hearing within 20 days of the receipt of the written request for a
hearing.  Any evidence obtained by the Labor Commissioner subsequent
to the 20-day cutoff shall be promptly disclosed to the contractor or
subcontractor.
   (2) The contractor or subcontractor shall have the burden of
proving that the basis for the civil wage and penalty assessment is
incorrect.  The assessment shall be sufficiently detailed to provide
fair notice to the contractor or subcontractor of the issues at the
hearing.
   (3) Within 45 days of the conclusion of the hearing, the
administrative law judge shall issue a written decision affirming,
modifying, or dismissing the assessment.  The decision of the
administrative law judge shall consist of a notice of findings,
findings, and an order.  This decision shall be served on all parties
and the awarding body pursuant to Section 1013 of the Code of Civil
Procedure by first-class mail at the last known address of the party
on file with the Labor Commissioner.  Within 15 days of the issuance
of the decision, the administrative law judge may reconsider or
modify the decision to correct an error, except that a clerical error
may be corrected at any time.
   (4) The Director of Industrial Relations shall adopt regulations
setting forth procedures for hearings under this subdivision.
   (c) An affected contractor or subcontractor may obtain review of
the decision of the administrative law judge by filing a petition for
a writ of mandate to the appropriate superior court pursuant to
Section 1094.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure within 45 days after
service of the decision.  If no petition for writ of mandate is filed
within 45 days after service of the decision, the order shall become
final.  If it is claimed in a petition for writ of mandate that the
findings are not supported by the evidence, abuse of discretion is
established if the court determines that the findings are not
supported by substantial evidence in the light of the whole record.
   (d) A certified copy of a final order may be filed by the Labor
Commissioner in the office of the clerk of the superior court in any
county in which the affected contractor or subcontractor has property
or has or had a place of business.  The clerk, immediately upon the
filing, shall enter judgment for the state against the person
assessed in the amount shown on the certified order.
   (e) A judgment entered pursuant to this section shall bear the
same rate of interest and shall have the same effect as other
judgments and shall be given the same preference allowed by law on
other judgments rendered for claims for taxes.  The clerk shall not
charge for the service performed by him or her pursuant to this
section.
   (f) An awarding body that has withheld funds in response to a
civil wage and penalty assessment under this chapter shall, upon
receipt of a certified copy of a final order that is no longer
subject to judicial review, promptly transmit the withheld funds, up
to the amount of the certified order, to the Labor Commissioner.
   (g) This section shall provide the exclusive method for review of
a civil wage and penalty assessment by the Labor Commissioner under
this chapter or the decision of an awarding body to withhold contract
payments pursuant to Section 1771.5.
   (h) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2005.
  SEC. 12.  Section 1742.1 is added to the Labor Code, to read:
   1742.1.  (a) After 60 days following the service of a civil wage
and penalty assessment under Section 1741 or a notice of withholding
under subdivision (a) of Section 1771.6, the affected contractor,
subcontractor, and surety on a bond or bonds issued to secure the
payment of wages covered by the assessment or notice shall be liable
for liquidated damages in an amount equal to the wages, or portion
thereof, that still remain unpaid.  If the assessment or notice
subsequently is overturned or modified after administrative or
judicial review, liquidated damages shall be payable only on the
wages found to be due and unpaid.  If the contractor or subcontractor
demonstrates to the satisfaction of the director that he or she had
substantial grounds for believing the assessment or notice to be in
error, the director shall waive payment of the liquidated damages.
Any liquidated damages collected shall be distributed to the employee
along with the unpaid wages.  Section 203.5 shall not apply to
claims for prevailing wages under this chapter.
   (b) The Labor Commissioner shall, upon receipt of a request from
the affected contractor or subcontractor within 30 days following the
service of a civil wage and penalty assessment under Section 1741,
afford the contractor or subcontractor the opportunity to meet with
the Labor Commissioner or his or her designee to attempt to settle a
dispute regarding the assessment without the need for formal
proceedings.  The awarding body shall, upon receipt of a request from
the affected contractor or subcontractor within 30 days following
the service of a notice of withholding under subdivision (a) of
Section 1771.6, afford the contractor or subcontractor the
opportunity to meet with the designee of the awarding body to attempt
to settle a dispute regarding the notice without the need for formal
proceedings.  The settlement meeting may be held in person or by
telephone and shall take place before the expiration of the 60-day
period for seeking administrative review.  No evidence of anything
said or any admission made for the purpose of, in the course of, or
pursuant to, the settlement meeting is admissible or subject to
discovery in any administrative or civil proceeding.  No writing
prepared for the purpose of, in the course of, or pursuant to, the
settlement meeting, other than a final settlement agreement, is
admissible or subject to discovery in any administrative or civil
proceeding.  The assessment or notice shall advise the contractor or
subcontractor of the opportunity to request a settlement meeting.
   This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2005,
and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that
is enacted before January 1, 2005, deletes or extends that date.
  SEC. 13.  Section 1742.1 is added to the Labor Code, to read:
   1742.1.  (a) After 60 days following the service of a civil wage
and penalty assessment under Section 1741 or a notice of withholding
under subdivision (a) of Section 1771.6, the affected contractor,
subcontractor, and surety on a bond or bonds issued to secure the
payment of wages covered by the assessment or notice shall be liable
for liquidated damages in an amount equal to the wages, or portion
thereof, that still remain unpaid.  If the assessment or notice
subsequently is overturned or modified after administrative or
judicial review, liquidated damages shall be payable only on the
wages found to be due and unpaid.  If the contractor or subcontractor
demonstrates to the satisfaction of the administrative law judge
that he or she had substantial grounds for believing the assessment
or notice to be in error, the administrative law judge shall waive
payment of the liquidated damages.  Any liquidated damages collected
shall be distributed to the employee along with the unpaid wages.
Section 203.5 shall not apply to claims for prevailing wages under
this chapter.
   (b) The Labor Commissioner shall, upon receipt of a request from
the affected contractor or subcontractor within 30 days following the
service of a civil wage and penalty assessment under Section 1741,
afford the contractor or subcontractor the opportunity to meet with
the Labor Commissioner or his or her designee to attempt to settle a
dispute regarding the assessment without the need for formal
proceedings.  The awarding body shall, upon receipt of a request from
the affected contractor or subcontractor within 30 days following
the service of a notice of withholding under subdivision (a) of
Section 1771.6, afford the contractor or subcontractor the
opportunity to meet with the designee of the awarding body to attempt
to settle a dispute regarding the notice without the need for formal
proceedings.  The settlement meeting may be held in person or by
telephone and shall take place before the expiration of the 60-day
period for seeking administrative review.  No evidence of anything
said or any admission made for the purpose of, in the course of, or
pursuant to, the settlement meeting is admissible or subject to
discovery in any administrative or civil proceeding.  No writing
prepared for the purpose of, in the course of, or pursuant to, the
settlement meeting, other than a final settlement agreement, is
admissible or subject to discovery in any administrative or civil
proceeding.  The assessment or notice shall advise the contractor or
subcontractor of the opportunity to request a settlement meeting.
   This section shall become operative on January 1, 2005.
  SEC. 14.  Section 1743 is added to the Labor Code, to read:
   1743.  (a) The contractor and subcontractor shall be jointly and
severally liable for all amounts due pursuant to a final order under
this chapter or a judgment thereon. The Labor Commissioner shall
first exhaust all reasonable remedies to collect the amount due from
the subcontractor before pursuing the claim against the contractor.
   (b) From the amount collected, the wage claim shall be satisfied
prior to the amount being applied to penalties.  If insufficient
money is recovered to pay each worker in full, the money shall be
prorated among all workers.
   (c) Wages for workers who cannot be located shall be placed in the
Industrial Relations Unpaid Wage Fund and held in trust for the
workers pursuant to Section 96.7.  Penalties shall be paid into the
General Fund.
   (d) A final order under this chapter or a judgment thereon shall
be binding, with respect to the amount found to be due, on a bonding
company issuing a bond that secures the payment of wages and a surety
on a bond.  The limitations period of any action on a payment bond
shall be tolled pending a final order that is no longer subject to
judicial review.
  SEC. 15.  Section 1771.6 of the Labor Code is repealed.
  SEC. 16.  Section 1771.6 is added to the Labor Code, to read:
   1771.6.  (a) Any awarding body that enforces this chapter in
accordance with Section 1726 or 1771.5 shall provide notice of the
withholding of contract payments to the contractor and subcontractor,
if applicable.  The notice shall be in writing and shall describe
the nature of the violation and the amount of wages, penalties, and
forfeitures withheld.  Service of the notice shall be completed
pursuant to Section 1013 of the Code of Civil Procedure by
first-class and certified mail to the contractor and subcontractor,
if applicable. The notice shall advise the contractor and
subcontractor, if applicable, of the procedure for obtaining review
of the withholding of contract payments.
   The awarding body shall also serve a copy of the notice by
certified mail to any bonding company issuing a bond that secures the
payment of wages covered by the notice and to any surety on a bond,
if their identities are known to the awarding body.
   (b) The withholding of contract payments in accordance with
Section 1726 or 1771.5 shall be reviewable under Section 1742 in the
same manner as if the notice of the withholding was a civil penalty
order of the Labor Commissioner under this chapter.  If review is
requested, the Labor Commissioner may intervene to represent the
awarding body.
   (c) Pending a final order, or the expiration of the time period
for seeking review of the notice of the withholding, the awarding
body shall not disburse any contract payments withheld.
   (d) From the amount recovered, the wage claim shall be satisfied
prior to the amount being applied to penalties.  If insufficient
money is recovered to pay each worker in full, the money shall be
prorated among all workers.
   (e) Wages for workers who cannot be located shall be placed in the
Industrial Relations Unpaid Wage Fund and held in trust for the
workers pursuant to Section 96.7.  Penalties shall be paid into the
General Fund of the awarding body that has enforced this chapter
pursuant to Section 1771.5.
  SEC. 17.  Section 1771.7 of the Labor Code is repealed.
  SEC. 18.  Section 1773.1 of the Labor Code is amended to read:
   1773.1.  (a) Per diem wages shall be deemed to include employer
payments for health and welfare, pension, vacation, travel,
subsistence, and apprenticeship or other training programs authorized
by Section 3093, so long as the cost of training is reasonably
related to the amount of the contributions, and similar purposes,
when the term "per diem wages" is used in this chapter or in any
other statute applicable to public works.
   (b) Employer payments include all of the following:
   (1) The rate of contribution irrevocably made by the employer to a
trustee or third person pursuant to a plan, fund, or program.
   (2) The rate of actual costs to the employer reasonably
anticipated in providing benefits to workers pursuant to an
enforceable commitment to carry out a financially responsible plan or
program communicated in writing to the workers affected.
   (3) Payments to the California Apprenticeship Council pursuant to
Section 1777.5.
   (c) Employer payments are a credit against the obligation to pay
the general prevailing rate of per diem wages.  However, no credit
shall be granted for benefits required to be provided by other state
or federal law.  Credits for employer payments also shall not reduce
the obligation to pay the hourly straight time or overtime wages
found to be prevailing.
   (d) The credit for employer payments shall be computed on an
annualized basis where the employer seeks credit for employer
payments that are higher for public works projects than for private
construction performed by the same employer, except where one or more
of the following occur:
   (1) The employer has an enforceable obligation to make the higher
rate of payments on future private construction performed by the
employer.
   (2) The higher rate of payments is required by a project labor
agreement.
   (3) The payments are made to the California Apprenticeship Council
pursuant to Section 1777.5.
   (4) The director determines that annualization would not serve the
purposes of this chapter.
   (e) For the purpose of determining those per diem wages for
contracts, the representative of any craft, classification, or type
of worker needed to execute contracts shall file with the Department
of Industrial Relations fully executed copies of the collective
bargaining agreements for the particular craft, classification, or
type of work involved.  The collective bargaining agreements shall be
filed after their execution and thereafter may be taken into
consideration pursuant to Section 1773 whenever filed 30 days prior
to the call for bids.  If the collective bargaining agreement has not
been formalized, a typescript of the final draft may be filed
temporarily, accompanied by a statement under penalty of perjury as
to its effective date.
   Where a copy of the collective bargaining agreement has previously
been filed, fully executed copies of all modifications and
extensions of the agreement that affect per diem wages or holidays
shall be filed.
   The failure to comply with filing requirements of this subdivision
shall not be grounds for setting aside a prevailing wage
determination if the information taken into consideration is correct.

  SEC. 19.  Section 1775 of the Labor Code, as amended by Section 1
of Chapter 757 of the Statutes of 1997, is repealed.
  SEC. 20.  Section 1775 of the Labor Code, as added by Section 2 of
Chapter 757 of the Statutes of 1997, is amended to read:
   1775.  (a) The contractor and any subcontractor under him or her
shall, as a penalty to the state or political subdivision on whose
behalf the contract is made or awarded, forfeit not more than fifty
dollars ($50) for each calendar day, or portion thereof, for each
worker paid less than the prevailing wage rates as determined by the
director for the work or craft in which the worker is employed for
any public work done under the contract by him or her or, except as
provided in subdivision (b), by any subcontractor under him or her.
The amount of this penalty shall be determined by the Labor
Commissioner based on consideration of both of the following:
   (1) Whether the failure of the contractor or subcontractor to pay
the correct rate of per diem wages was a good faith mistake and, if
so, the error was promptly and voluntarily corrected upon being
brought to the attention of the contractor or subcontractor.
   (2) Whether the contractor or subcontractor has a prior record of
failing to meet its prevailing wage obligations.
                                The determination of the Labor
Commissioner as to the amount of the penalty shall be reviewable only
for abuse of discretion.  The difference between the prevailing wage
rates and the amount paid to each worker for each calendar day or
portion thereof for which each worker was paid less than the
prevailing wage rate shall be paid to each worker by the contractor
or subcontractor, and the body awarding the contract shall cause to
be inserted in the contract a stipulation that this section will be
complied with.
   (b) If a worker employed by a subcontractor on a public works
project is not paid the general prevailing per diem wages by the
subcontractor, the prime contractor of the project is not liable for
any penalties under subdivision (a) unless the prime contractor had
knowledge of that failure of the subcontractor to pay the specified
prevailing rate of wages to those workers or unless the prime
contractor fails to comply with all of the following requirements:
   (1) The contract executed between the contractor and the
subcontractor for the performance of work on the public works project
shall include a copy of the provisions of Sections 1771, 1775, 1776,
1777.5, 1813, and 1815.
   (2) The contractor shall monitor the payment of the specified
general prevailing rate of per diem wages by the subcontractor to the
employees, by periodic review of the certified payroll records of
the subcontractor.
   (3) Upon becoming aware of the failure of the subcontractor to pay
his or her workers the specified prevailing rate of wages, the
contractor shall diligently take corrective action to halt or rectify
the failure, including, but not limited to, retaining sufficient
funds due the subcontractor for work performed on the public works
project.
   (4) Prior to making final payment to the subcontractor for work
performed on the public works project, the contractor shall obtain an
affidavit signed under penalty of perjury from the subcontractor
that the subcontractor has paid the specified general prevailing rate
of per diem wages to his or her employees on the public works
project and any amounts due pursuant to Section 1813.
   (c) The Division of Labor Standards Enforcement shall notify the
contractor on a public works project within 15 days of the receipt by
the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement of a complaint of the
failure of a subcontractor on that public works project to pay
workers the general prevailing rate of per diem wages.
  SEC. 21.  This act shall become operative on July 1, 2001.
  SEC. 22.  No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to
Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution for certain
costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district
because in that regard this act creates a new crime or infraction,
eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime
or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government
Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of
Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution.
   However, notwithstanding Section 17610 of the Government Code, if
the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains
other costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies
and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7
(commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the
Government Code.  If the statewide cost of the claim for
reimbursement does not exceed one million dollars ($1,000,000),
reimbursement shall be made from the State Mandates Claims Fund.