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S 2919Procurement & Contracts

Public Property and Works - State Purchases

This bill requires companies installing glass on large public construction projects to possess specific industry certifications and employ certified workers.

Held for study
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced Mar 4, 2026Committee Senate Labor & Gaming

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends state purchasing laws regarding public works projects. It mandates that for renovation projects over $1 million and new construction over $5 million involving glazing (glass work), the work must be performed by companies with North American Contractor Certification (NACC). Furthermore, it establishes a phased timeline requiring an increasing percentage of the on-site crew to hold Architectural Glass and Metal Technician (AGMT) certification, reaching 50% by 2027. The Department of Labor and Training is authorized to enforce these requirements, conduct hearings, and issue civil penalties for non-compliance.

For younger readers

This new rule is for big building projects paid for by the government, like schools or town halls. When workers are installing windows or big glass walls, the company they work for must have a special certificate proving they are experts. Also, the workers themselves need to pass a test to show they know how to do the job safely and correctly. The rule starts slowly, requiring just a few certified workers at first, but eventually, half the crew must be certified. Companies that don't follow this rule will have to pay a fine.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Glazing ContractorsGeneral ContractorsConstruction WorkersMunicipalitiesDepartment of Labor and Training
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
Amount unknown
Estimated revenue
Amount unknown

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Promotes higher safety standards and professional training for workers in the construction industry, ensuring that labor on public projects is performed by qualified individuals.
  • Empowers the Department of Labor and Training with enforcement capabilities to hold contractors accountable, preventing corners from being cut on public infrastructure.
  • Encourages workforce development and the professionalization of the trade, potentially leading to better wages and career stability for certified technicians.
  • Could create a barrier to entry for smaller, minority-owned, or local businesses that may not have the resources to obtain these specific third-party certifications immediately.
  • Relies on a specific private certification body (NACC/AGMT), which could limit competition and exclude otherwise skilled workers or union members who hold different but equivalent credentials.
  • May increase the cost of public projects, potentially diverting funds that could be used for other social services or affordable housing initiatives.
For Conservatives
  • Ensures that taxpayer money spent on significant infrastructure projects yields high-quality results by requiring proven competency from contractors.
  • Establishes clear, objective metrics for awarding government contracts, potentially reducing the likelihood of favoritism or subjective selection.
  • Limits the mandate to larger projects (over $1 million for renovations and $5 million for new construction), protecting smaller projects from regulatory overhead.
  • Imposes heavy government regulation on private businesses by dictating exactly who they must hire and what certifications their employees must hold.
  • Likely drives up the cost of public construction projects funded by taxpayers by restricting the free market and limiting the pool of eligible bidders.
  • Expands the power of the administrative state by granting the Department of Labor and Training authority to levy fines and revoke professional licenses.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 8 additions

SECTION 1. Section 37-2-82 of the General Laws in Chapter 37-2 entitled "State Purchases" is hereby amended to read as follows: 37-2-82. Utilization of North American Contractor Certification companies.

(a) All public works renovation projects that exceed an aggregate amount of one million dollars ($1,000,000), and all new construction projects that exceed an aggregate amount of five million dollars ($5,000,000), that include glazing work, shall have glazing work performed by North American Contractor Certification (“NACC”) certified companies and initially, on and after July 1, 2024, shall have one architectural glass and metal technician (“AGMT”) certified worker employed by the company or contractor. On and after January 1, 2025, each crew performing work that meets the criteria of this section shall have one AGMT certified worker on site. On and after January 1, 2026, for each crew performing work that meets the criteria of this section, twenty-five percent (25%) of that crew shall be comprised of AGMT certified individuals on site. On and after January 1, 2027, for each crew performing work that meets the criteria of the section, fifty percent (50%) of that crew shall be comprised of AGMT certified individuals on site.

(b) As used herein, the term “glazing work” includes, but is not limited to, replacement and installation of windows, curtain walls, interior glass partitions, glass handrails, aluminum entrances, skylights, store fronts, and general installation of architectural glass and metal. (c)(1) The department of labor and training shall enforce the provisions of this section. If the director, or designee, determines that a violation of these provisions has occurred, the director, or designee, shall order a hearing at a time and place to be specified, and shall give notice, together with a copy of the complaint or the purpose thereof, or a statement of the facts disclosed upon investigation, which notice shall be served personally or by mail on any person, business, corporation, or entity of any kind affected thereby.

(2) The person, business, corporation, or entity shall have an opportunity to be heard in respect to the matters complained of at the time and place specified in the notice.

(3) The hearing shall be conducted by the director, or designee. The hearing officer in the hearing shall be deemed to have jurisdiction and dispositive authority to hear and adjudicate the matter, and shall have the right to issue subpoenas, administer oaths, and examine witnesses. The enforcement of a subpoena issued under this section shall be regulated by civil practice law and the rules of civil procedure. The hearing shall be expeditiously conducted and upon such hearing the hearing officer shall determine the issues raised and shall make a determination and enter an order within thirty (30) days of the close of the hearing, and forthwith serve a copy of the order, with a notice of the filing, upon the parties to the proceeding, personally or by mail.

(4) The order shall dismiss the complaint or determine that a violation of the provisions of this section occurred. The order shall represent a final action by the department of labor and training.

(d) Any contractor or subcontractor determined to have violated the provisions of this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) and not greater than three thousand dollars ($3,000), and shall be subject to the revocation of any relevant professional or occupational license, if the violation is deemed to have been intentional or egregious.

(e) This section is applicable to all public works projects that fit the other criteria as provided in this section.

(f) For purposes of this section, "public works project" includes any project financed, undertaken, managed, or contracted for, by the state, its departments, agencies, authorities, public corporations, quasi-public corporations, municipalities, school committees, or any other political subdivision. The requirements of this section shall apply to all such public works projects, without regard to the source of funding or procurement method; provided that, the project meets the monetary thresholds in subsection (a) of this section and includes glazing work as defined in subsection (b) of this section.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.