State Rep. Aaron Bernstine, R-10th, on Monday introduced a bill that would require disclosure of contractual labor terms in taxpayer-funded construction projects.

The legislation would require full disclosure of contractual terms, known as project labor agreements, on construction projects funded by taxpayer dollars. PLAs are comprehensive, prehire agreements that include labor terms and conditions for construction projects, often incorporating terms from collective bargaining agreements of unions to be involved in the project.

“PLAs often increase the labor costs on a job, so it is problematic when we can’t see the full scope of the project up front,” Bernstine said. “When a contractor is crafting a bid for a public project, it is only fair to make them aware of agreements that would impact the cost of construction.”

He said he hopes for more transparency through the introduction of the Project Labor Agreement Transparency Act, which would require a public body to post advance notice when a PLA applies to a public construction project. He said the legislation would not restrict the use of PLAs or regulate the contents of the agreement in any way.

“This is very simply about fairness and openness in the contracting process,” Bernstine said. “The taxpayers who are funding these projects and the laborers who hope to bid on the work deserve full transparency.”