Governor Signs New Law to Support Workers on Public Construction Projects

HB25-1130 boosts labor protections for construction jobs by state agencies

DENVER, CO – The Governor yesterday signed legislation sponsored by Senators Jessie Danielson, D-Wheat Ridge, and Chris Kolker, D-Centennial, House Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge, and Representative Michael Carter, D-Aurora, to allow public projects to use Project Labor Agreements to ensure worker protections. 

“The health of Colorado’s public sector depends on high-quality, well-paid jobs protected by Project Labor Agreements that work for both employers and workers,” Danielson said. “We’ve passed measures in recent years to expand apprenticeship opportunities and build a skilled, protected workforce, and this law will broaden these protections to the public construction sector.”

“This law allows public construction projects to use Project Labor Agreements to extend workplace protections and bargaining rights to workers on these projects,” Carter said. “Project Labor Agreements are similar to union contracts and offer workers better pay and safer conditions while leading to higher quality work and faster completion of public projects.”

“I am committed to ensuring that Colorado workers are paid fairly for their work and protected from unfair employer practices,” Kolker said. “This law simply extends existing worker protections to make Colorado law consistent across all sectors.”

“I have proudly passed laws in the energy and public sectors to create safer work conditions and ensure Coloradans are paid a fair wage for their work,” Duran said. “This law seeks to extend protections to Colorado workers on public projects, making Colorado law more consistent across all sectors to protect Colorado workers.”

HB25-1130 implements project labor provisions to ensure that state projects, like their energy sector counterparts, have the option and authorization to utilize this procurement method.

The new law defines a project labor agreement as a collective bargaining agreement between a lead contractor for a public project and construction labor organizations to establish the terms and conditions of employment of the construction workforce on the public project. These agreements must include guarantees around strikes and lockouts, requirements to resolve disputes before project completion, and policy objectives regarding underrepresented minorities in the construction industry. 

This legislation builds on the Colorado Quality Apprenticeship Training Act of 2019, also sponsored by Senator Danielson and Majority Leader Duran, to establish apprenticeship protections for public projects and a 2023 law, also sponsored by Duran, to create clear and fair working standards for Colorado workers transitioning into the clean energy sector.