SB5061 • 2026

Public works wages

Requiring certain wages in public works contracts to be at least the prevailing wage in effect when the work is performed.

Elections Housing Labor

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Senator Conway, Senator Saldaña, Senator Riccelli, Senator Liias, Senator Valdez, Senator Chapman, Senator Hasegawa, Senator Nobles, Senator Salomon, Senator Stanford
Last action: 2025-03-12
Official status: S subst for
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Public works wages

What This Bill Does

Public works wages

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

5061-S2.E AMH LAWS H3620.1

0 • Labor & Workplace Standards

NOT CONSIDERED

Plain English: 5061-S2.E AMH LAWS H3620.1 E2SSB 5061 - H COMM AMD By Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards NOT CONSIDERED 03/12/2026 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "NEW SECTION.

5061-S2.E AMH LAWS H3620.1 E2SSB 5061 - H COMM AMD By Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards NOT CONSIDERED 03/12/2026 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "NEW SECTION.
Sec.
1.
The legislature finds that the voters of 3 this state have twice recognized by way of initiative the importance 4 of fair labor standards and protecting workers by establishing 5 minimum wages and appropriate incremental adjustments to minimum 6 wages.

5061-S2 AMS ALVA S2190.1

160 • Alvarado

ADOPTED

Plain English: 5061-S2 AMS ALVA S2190.1 2SSB 5061 - S AMD 160 By Senator Alvarado ADOPTED 03/12/2025 On page 2, line 13, after " 39.04.151" insert " or residential 1 construction as defined in RCW 39.12.017" 2 EFFECT: (1) Excludes contracts for residential construction from the bill.

5061-S2 AMS ALVA S2190.1 2SSB 5061 - S AMD 160 By Senator Alvarado ADOPTED 03/12/2025 On page 2, line 13, after " 39.04.151" insert " or residential 1 construction as defined in RCW 39.12.017" 2 EFFECT: (1) Excludes contracts for residential construction from the bill.
(2) Uses an existing definition of residential construction, which includes construction, alteration, repair, improvement, or maintenance of certain residential structures in the following categories: (a) Affordable housing, including permanent supportive housing and transitional housing, which may include common spaces, community rooms, recreational spaces, a management office, or offices for the purposes of service delivery; (b) weatherization and home rehabilitation programs for low-income households; and (c) homeless shelters and domestic violence shelters.
END --- Code Rev/MFW:jlb 1 S-2190.1/25

5061-S2.E AMS CONW S4293.1

522 • Conway

OUT OF ORDER

Plain English: 5061-S2.E AMS CONW S4293.1 E2SSB 5061 - S AMD 522 By Senator Conway OUT OF ORDER 02/12/2026 On page 2, line 29, after "July 1," strike "2027" and insert 1 "2028" 2 EFFECT: Changes the effective date of the bill from July 1, 2027, to July 1, 2028.

5061-S2.E AMS CONW S4293.1 E2SSB 5061 - S AMD 522 By Senator Conway OUT OF ORDER 02/12/2026 On page 2, line 29, after "July 1," strike "2027" and insert 1 "2028" 2 EFFECT: Changes the effective date of the bill from July 1, 2027, to July 1, 2028.
END --- Code Rev/MFW:ajr 1 S-4293.1/26

5061-S2.E AMS KING S4294.1

523 • King

OUT OF ORDER

Plain English: 5061-S2.E AMS KING S4294.1 E2SSB 5061 - S AMD 523 By Senator King OUT OF ORDER 02/12/2026 On page 2, line 18, after " wage." insert "Cost increases directly 1 resulting from wage adjustments of the prevailing rate of wage 2 pursuant to this subsection beyond a five percent increase in the 3 prevailing rate of wage are a good cause justification for a 4 contractor of any level affected by said increase to require a 5 financial adjustment to the contract." 6 EFFECT: Provides that cost increases resulting from adjustments of the prevailing rate of wage beyond five percent are a good cause justification for a contractor at any level affected by the increase to require a financial adjustment to the contract.

5061-S2.E AMS KING S4294.1 E2SSB 5061 - S AMD 523 By Senator King OUT OF ORDER 02/12/2026 On page 2, line 18, after " wage." insert "Cost increases directly 1 resulting from wage adjustments of the prevailing rate of wage 2 pursuant to this subsection beyond a five percent increase in the 3 prevailing rate of wage are a good cause justification for a 4 contractor of any level affected by said increase to require a 5 financial adjustment to the contract." 6 EFFECT: Provides that cost increases resulting from adjustments of the prevailing rate of wage beyond five percent are a good cause justification for a contractor at any level affected by the increase to require a financial adjustment to the contract.
END --- Code Rev/MFW:ajr 1 S-4294.1/26

5061-S2.E AMS KING S5028.1

620 • King

OUT OF ORDER

Plain English: 5061-S2.E AMS KING S5028.1 E2SSB 5061 - S AMD 620 By Senator King OUT OF ORDER 02/12/2026 On page 2, line 15, after " that" insert ", beginning on the third 1 year of the public works project and each year thereafter,"2 On page 2, line 18, after " wage." insert "Cost increases directly 3 resulting from wage adjustments of the prevailing rate of wage 4 pursuant to this subsection must be paid for by the state agency, 5 county, municipality, or political subdivision contracting for the 6 public work." 7 EFFECT: (1) Requires the annual adjustments to the hourly minimum rate of wages for laborers, workers, or mechanics under the bill begin on the third year of a public works project, rather than immediately.

5061-S2.E AMS KING S5028.1 E2SSB 5061 - S AMD 620 By Senator King OUT OF ORDER 02/12/2026 On page 2, line 15, after " that" insert ", beginning on the third 1 year of the public works project and each year thereafter,"2 On page 2, line 18, after " wage." insert "Cost increases directly 3 resulting from wage adjustments of the prevailing rate of wage 4 pursuant to this subsection must be paid for by the state agency, 5 county, municipality, or political subdivision contracting for the 6 public work." 7 EFFECT: (1) Requires the annual adjustments to the hourly minimum rate of wages for laborers, workers, or mechanics under the bill begin on the third year of a public works project, rather than immediately.
(2) Requires that cost increases directly resulting from wage adjustments of the prevailing wage under the bill must be paid for by the state agency, county, municipality, or political subdivision contracting for the public work.
END --- Code Rev/MFW:akl 1 S-5028.1/26

Bill History

2025-03-12 Senate
2nd substitute bill substituted.

Official Summary Text

Public works wages

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

AN ACT Relating to requiring wages for laborers, workers, and 1
mechanics in public works contracts to be at least the prevailing 2
rate of wage in effect at the time the work is performed; amending 3
RCW 39.12.030; creating a new section; and providing an effective 4
date. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:6
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the voters of 7
this state have twice recognized by way of initiative the importance 8
of fair labor standards and protecting workers by establishing 9
minimum wages and appropriate incremental adjustments to minimum 10
wages. Similarly, the prevailing wage laws are the minimum wage 11
required to be paid on public works projects. However, in most cases, 12
prevailing wages are frozen from the time bids are due for the 13
duration of the project regardless of how long it takes to complete. 14
The legislature intends to provide for fair labor standards and the 15
protection of workers by requiring that wages be adjusted in 16
accordance with prevailing rate of wage adjustments published by the 17
department of labor and industries.18
Sec. 2. RCW 39.12.030 and 2009 c 62 s 1 are each amended to read 19
as follows: 20
S-0234.1
SENATE BILL 5061
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Conway, Saldaña, Riccelli, Liias, Valdez, Chapman,
Hasegawa, Nobles, Salomon, and Stanford
Prefiled 12/16/24. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee
on Labor & Commerce.
p. 1 SB 5061
(1) The specifications for every contract for the construction, 1
reconstruction, maintenance or repair of any public work to which the 2
state or any county, municipality, or political subdivision created 3
by its laws is a party, shall contain a provision stating the hourly 4
minimum rate of wage, not less than the prevailing rate of wage, 5
which may be paid to laborers, workers, or mechanics in each trade or 6
occupation required for such public work employed in the performance 7
of the contract either by the contractor, subcontractor or other 8
person doing or contracting to do the whole or any part of the work 9
contemplated by the contract, and the contract shall ((contain a 10
stipulation)) stipulate that such laborers, workers, or mechanics 11
shall be paid not less than such specified hourly minimum rate of 12
wage. The contract shall stipulate that the hourly minimum rate of 13
wage for laborers, workers, or mechanics must be adjusted as 14
necessary to provide that such wage is not less than the latest 15
prevailing rate of wage in effect at the time the work is performed. 16
If the awarding agency determines that the work contracted for meets 17
the definition of residential construction, the contract must include 18
that information. 19
(2) If the hourly minimum rate of wage stated in the contract 20
specifies residential construction rates and it is later determined 21
that the work performed is commercial and subject to commercial 22
construction rates, the state, county, municipality, or political 23
subdivision that entered into the contract must pay the difference 24
between the residential rate stated and the actual commercial rate to 25
the contractor, subcontractor, or other person doing or contracting 26
to do the whole or any part of the work under the contract.27
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2026.28
--- END ---
p. 2 SB 5061