The results of the Midterm Congressional Elections will have an impact on construction-related federal policies and legislation. Click the "Learn More" option below to find brief overviews of how the election outcome may impact a wide range of issues impacting your construction business and market.

There were a wide range of state and local ballot initiatives decided on Nov. 6 that have ramification for your construction business and market. Click the "Learn More" option below to find brief overviews of how initiatives regarding the outcomes of transportation and legalized marijuana ballot initiatives across the nation.

Second Reverse Industry Day with GSA This Year

AGC partnered with General Services Administration headquarters to bring the construction industry’s perspective directly to GSA on a national level. Coming off the heels of a successful reverse industry day earlier this year, AGC members presented the industry’s point of view to members of GSA’s acquisition and contracting workforce from around the country.

Deregulatory Efforts Continue

The Trump Administration unveiled its Fall 2018 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions mapping out federal agencies’ priorities for the coming months. This bi-annual publication informs the public of regulatory or de-regulatory actions under consideration or planned by federal agencies. The present agenda includes several submissions with implications for construction contractors, included in this story.

On Nov. 7, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published its final rule that clarifies certification requirements for crane operators, and maintains the employer’s duty to ensure that crane operators can safely operate the equipment. Under the final rule, employers are required to train operators as needed to perform assigned crane activities, evaluate them, and document successful completion of the evaluations. Employers who have evaluated operators prior to Dec. 9, 2018, will not have to conduct those evaluations again, but will only have to document when those evaluations were completed.

We have heard from AGC members that the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) is not currently issuing cards to candidates passing their Crane Certification exams in Spanish.

Presentations from key federal agencies rounded out the expert management and risk sessions at AGC’s 2018 Construction Environmental Conference by providing attendees with updates and answering questions on several regulatory developments. As part of its conference wrap-up, AGC provides below a list of the issues the government agencies discussed along with links to relevant articles and AGC’s comment letters, where applicable. AGC appreciates the time and talent of all the speakers at the 2018 CEC that, based on participant feedback, exceeded expectations. To see more about this these speakers, click here. For more information, contact Leah Pilconis at pilconisl@agc.org or (703) 837-5332.

Spur Private Construction Market & Mitigate Taxes on Capital Gains

The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released proposed regulations on Opportunity Zones, a new program created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to spur investment—including construction development—in underserved areas of the country. Anyone who makes a qualified investment in an Opportunity Zone can defer capital-gains from an unrelated investment by up to 15 percent, whether it’s from the sale of other real property or cashing out gains on stocks. Moreover, any gains realized on a zone investment are tax-exempt if they are held for at least 10 years.

Expands Employer and Employee Insurance Options

On October 23, The U.S. Departments of the Treasury, Health and Human Services, and Labor issued a proposed regulation that would expand the usability of health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs). This proposed regulation is in response to President Trump’s Executive Order on "Promoting Healthcare Choice and Competition Across the United States." Specifically, the proposal would expand the use of employees’ personal health reimbursement accounts to buy individual health plans and providing them the same tax advantage as an employee choosing traditional employer sponsored coverage.

Deadline for Submitting Applications is December 14, 2018

The AGC-Willis Towers Watson Construction Safety Excellence Awards (CSEA) is the industry’s elite safety excellence awards program for contractors, service providers, and suppliers of all types and sizes. CSEA recognizes companies that develop and implement premier safety and risk control programs and showcases companies that achieve continuous improvement and maintenance of their safety and health management system. So, don’t miss this opportunity to be recognized for your best-in-class safety program! Please click here for more information on the AGC-WTW CSEA program. For more information, contact Nazia Shah at (703) 837-5409 or nazia.shah@agc.org.

November 29, 2018
WebEd: Pass-Through Subcontractor Claims and Disputes: How to Avoid a Losing Two-Front War
2 to 3 p.m.

December 4, 2018
WebEd: Five Mistakes in Managing Your Construction Budget
2 to 3:00 p.m.

December 6, 2018
WebEd: ConsensusDocs Webinar Series: Successful Construction Contracts
1 to 2 p.m.

December 10-12, 2018
Construction Super Conference
Las Vegas, Nevada

December 11-13, 2018
WebEd: Davis-Bacon Compliance Training – Two Part Series
2 to 3:30 p.m.

December 9-14, 2018
AGC Construction Project Manager Course
Dallas, Texas

Help Us Generate a Comprehensive Outlook for 2019 by Taking the Survey Today

Each year around this time, AGC asks you – our members – to predict what next year will be like for your business. AGC has partnered with Sage to prepare questions that focus on expectations for market performance, hiring, labor market conditions, etc. Please take a moment to complete the survey here.

For more information, contact Nahee Rosso at chon@agc.org or (703) 837-5348.

It all started at the LaSalle Hotel in Chicago, Illinois, where a small group of contractors banded together to form AGC of America. One hundred years later, the association is 26,000 members strong, with a proud past and even brighter future. How they became and continue to serve as the leading association for the construction industry was summed up recently by AGC CEO Steve Sandherr at the association’s Centennial Celebration in Washington, D.C.: "We are the voice of construction. Maybe we’re not the loudest or the shrillest, but we’re the most credible."

This, and more, in the November-December issue of Constructor magazine.