NFIB’s state director for Illinois, Mark Grant, says the state’s leading small business advocacy organization is “key voting” House Bill 2838, legislation that could inflate construction costs by forcing general contractors to pay construction workers twice.
The bill passed the House Wednesday by a vote of 70-41-1. It now heads to the Senate.
“This is well-meaning legislation that would be a disaster if it passes,” Grant said. “Construction workers deserve their money, but this legislation shifts the burden of paying them from their boss, the subcontractor, to the general contractor who hired the subcontractor.
“If this measure passes, then general contractors could end up paying construction workers twice—once when they pay the subcontractor and again if the subcontractor keeps the money and refuses to pay them.
“This is unfair to general contractors, who would have little choice but to pass along the added cost to the businesses and homeowners who hire them, making it even harder to work and live in Illinois.
“By ‘key voting’ this legislation, we’re letting legislators know that our members are against House Bill 2838 and that we’ll report each and every vote to our members, their constituents.”
