HB 719

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to public contracting; providing
3definitions for the terms "governmental unit" and
4"facility"; prohibiting a governmental unit that
5contracts for the construction, repair, remodeling, or
6improving of a facility from imposing conditions that
7require, prohibit, encourage, or discourage certain
8bidders, contractors, or subcontractors from entering
9into or adhering to agreements with a collective
10bargaining organization; prohibiting a governmental
11unit from granting certain awards as a condition of
12certain contracts; prohibiting certain terms from
13being placed in bid specifications, project
14agreements, or other controlling documents; providing
15exceptions; amending s. 120.57, F.S.; revising the
16period during which an agency must file a protest
17following certain contract solicitations or awards;
18providing an effective date.
19
20Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
21
22     Section 1.  (1)  As used in this section, the term:
23     (a)  "Facility" means an actual physical improvement to
24real property that is owned or leased, directly or through a
25building authority, by a governmental unit, including, but not
26limited to, roads, bridges, runways, rails, or a building or
27structure, along with the building's or structure's grounds,
28approaches, services, and appurtenances.
29     (b)  "Governmental unit" means this state; a county,
30municipality, school district, Florida College System
31institution, or public university that receives appropriations
32from this state; or any agency, board, commission, authority, or
33instrumentality of the state.
34     (2)  A governmental unit may not enter into or expend funds
35under a contract for the construction, repair, remodeling, or
36demolition of a facility if the contract or a subcontract under
37the contract contains a term that:
38     (a)  Requires, prohibits, encourages, or discourages
39bidders, contractors, or subcontractors from entering into or
40adhering to agreements with a collective bargaining organization
41relating to the construction project or other related
42construction projects.
43     (b)  Discriminates against bidders, contractors, or
44subcontractors based on the status as a party or nonparty to, or
45the willingness or refusal to enter into, an agreement with a
46collective bargaining organization relating to the construction
47project or other related construction projects.
48     (3)  A governmental unit may not award a grant, tax
49abatement, or tax credit that is conditioned upon a requirement
50that the awardee include a term described in paragraph (2)(a) or
51paragraph (2)(b) in a contract document for any construction,
52improvement, maintenance, or renovation to real property or
53fixtures that are the subject of the grant, tax abatement, or
54tax credit. This section does not prohibit a governmental unit
55from awarding a grant, tax abatement, or tax credit to a private
56owner, bidder, contractor, or subcontractor who enters into or
57who is party to an agreement with a collective bargaining
58organization, if being or becoming a party or adhering to an
59agreement with a collective bargaining organization is not a
60condition for award of the grant, tax abatement, or tax credit,
61and if the governmental unit does not discriminate against a
62private owner, bidder, contractor, or subcontractor in the
63awarding of that grant, tax abatement, or tax credit based upon
64the status as being or becoming, or the willingness or refusal
65to become, a party to an agreement with a collective bargaining
66organization.
67     (4)  A governmental unit or a construction manager or other
68contracting entity acting on behalf of a governmental unit may
69not place any of the terms described in subsection (2) in bid
70specifications, project agreements, or other controlling
71documents relating to the construction, repair, remodeling, or
72demolition of a facility. Any such included term is void and of
73no effect.
74     (5)  This section does not:
75     (a)  Apply to construction contracts executed before the
76effective date of this act.
77     (b)  Prohibit employers or other parties from entering into
78agreements or engaging in any other activity protected by the
79National Labor Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. ss. 151-169.
80     (c)  Interfere with labor relations of parties that are
81protected under the National Labor Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. ss.
82151-169.
83     Section 2.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section
84120.57, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
85     120.57  Additional procedures for particular cases.-
86     (3)  ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES APPLICABLE TO PROTESTS TO
87CONTRACT SOLICITATION OR AWARD.-Agencies subject to this chapter
88shall use the uniform rules of procedure, which provide
89procedures for the resolution of protests arising from the
90contract solicitation or award process. Such rules shall at
91least provide that:
92     (b)  Any person who is adversely affected by the agency
93decision or intended decision shall file with the agency a
94notice of protest in writing within 72 hours after the posting
95of the notice of decision or intended decision. With respect to
96a protest of the terms, conditions, and specifications contained
97in a solicitation, including any provisions governing the
98methods for ranking bids, proposals, or replies, awarding
99contracts, reserving rights of further negotiation, or modifying
100or amending any contract, the notice of protest shall be filed
101in writing within 7 days 72 hours after the posting of the
102solicitation. The formal written protest shall be filed within
10310 days after the date the notice of protest is filed. Failure
104to file a notice of protest or failure to file a formal written
105protest shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under this
106chapter. The formal written protest shall state with
107particularity the facts and law upon which the protest is based.
108Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays shall be excluded in the
109computation of the 72-hour time periods provided by this
110paragraph.
111     Section 3.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.


CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.