Public works: fees: small business.

Existing law defines "public works," for the purposes of regulating public works contracts, as, among other things, construction, alteration, demolition, installation, or repair work done under contract and paid for, in whole or in part, out of public funds. Existing law further requires that, except as specified, not less than the general prevailing rate of per diem wages be paid to workers employed on public works and imposes misdemeanor penalties for a willful violation of this requirement. Existing law generally requires a contractor or subcontractor to be registered with the Department of Industrial Relations to be qualified to bid on, be listed in a bid proposal, or engage in the performance of any public work contract. Existing law requires a contractor or subcontractor to meet specific conditions to qualify for this registration, including, among other things, to pay a $400 application fee to qualify for registration and to pay an annual renewal fee. This bill would reduce the application and annual renewal fee for a small business, as defined, to $200. The bill would prohibit the application and renewal fee for a contractor or subcontractor that does not qualify as a small business from being increased to support the above-described fee decrease.