Sen. Lea Webb

Relates to requiring the use of project labor agreements for large scale construction projects under the state university construction fund; provides an exception to such requirement may be granted; provides that the fund may require every contractor become party to a project labor agreement.

Provides that a policy of this state should be to increase housing options and opportunities, including but not limited to affordable, and workforce and senior housing.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes the definition of a small business for minority and women-owned enterprises in state contracts, raising the maximum employee limit from 300 to 500. The law allows the state director to set specific employee numbers based on industry standards while ensuring businesses remain independently owned and not dominant in their field. This adjustment directly affects how many employees a company can have before it is no longer considered a small business eligible for these specific state procurement programs. The change takes effect immediately upon passage.

Requires every food establishment to label all prepackaged food with a written notification on the package or on a label attached to the package identifying all ingredients and labeling for major food allergens in such form and manner as required pursuant to the federal Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004, as amended.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates how the state calculates payment rates for federally qualified health centers to better match their actual operating costs. It requires the health department to analyze five years of cost data, including expenses for staffing, physical facilities, and technology, and to remove existing caps on these payments starting in April 2025. The law establishes a new method for adjusting these rates annually based on federal market basket figures and changes in the scope of services provided. This change directly affects federally qualified health centers by ensuring their reimbursement reflects the true cost of delivering care.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows the Department of Education to share criminal history records and fingerprints with the Office of Children and Family Services for prospective child day care employees and volunteers who have already been cleared by the state education commissioner. The legislation creates a direct line of communication where the Division of Criminal Justice Services can send future criminal history notifications straight to the Office of Children and Family Services once an individual is approved for employment. By establishing this information-sharing process, the bill aims to ensure that background check results are consistently available to those responsible for supervising child care settings.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the limit on administrative fees that eligible applicants can pay when using the Access to Home program. Currently, applicants can spend up to seven and a half percent of their contract amount on program administration costs, but this bill raises that cap to ten percent. The change directly affects individuals or families purchasing homes through this specific housing assistance initiative by allowing them to allocate more funds toward necessary administrative expenses. The legislation takes effect immediately upon passage, streamlining the financial structure for program participants without altering the core eligibility requirements.

Extends provisions of law relating to allowing pharmacists to direct limited service laboratories and order and administer COVID-19 and influenza tests and modernizing nurse practitioners and authorizing pharmacists to perform collaborative drug therapy management with physicians in certain settings.

Updates the admission criteria for the science and technology entry program and collegiate science and technology entry program to consider whether a student is a member of an ethnic group that is underrepresented in the eligible profession they are pursuing.

Establishes a captive insurance program for commuter vans, black cars, ambulettes and paratransit vehicles, small school buses, and charter buses that are engaged in the business of carrying or transporting eight to twenty-four passengers for hire; pre-arranged for-hire vehicles and accessible vehicles; defines terms.