It’s that time of year again when Georgia legislators work to pass the laws that will take effect for 2013-2014. This year, there are a couple of bills working their way through the chambers that will directly affect construction contractors and construction projects in this State.
Introduced by Representatives Tom Weldon, Wendall Willard, and Mike Jacobs, HB 434 adds language to the Georgia mechanic’s lien law (O.C.G.A. §14-44-361) that specifically allows a lien holder to include in the lien amount “the amount due and owing…under the terms of its contract, subcontract, or purchase order.”
It also provides that in the absence of a contract, the lien may include amounts for “the unpaid value of the labor, materials, and services provided by the lien claimant for the improvement of real estate.”
HB 434 is currently before the Judiciary Committee.
Senate Bill 70 allows the Georgia Department of Transportation greater flexibility in using the design-build delivery method for procuring construction related services and expands the use of design-build projects. The bill allows the DOT to skip over the Request for Qualifications step, and procure a design-build contract simply through a Request for Proposals. The bill also eliminates some of the restrictions and requirements relating to design-build procurements.
SB 70 passed the Senate unanimously on February 25, 2013 and is now making its way through the House.
Check back for updates on these bills in the final weeks of the legislative session.
Do you know of any other bills pending in the Georgia Legislature that might be of interest to the construction industry? If so, tell us about it.
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