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Mo. Gen. Assembly Sends Targeted Prevailing Wage Bill To Gov. Nixon

(via Flickr/bigburpsx3)

The Missouri General Assembly has sent Governor Jay Nixon (D) legislation that would provide a targeted roll back of the state's prevailing wage.

House Bill 34 would eliminate the prevailing wage in third and fourth-class rural counties, and only for school construction and other public works projects.  It was sponsored by State Representative Casey Guernsey (R, Bethany), who represents four counties in rural northwest Missouri.

"There hasn't been a school built in my district, aside from one, in my lifetime – I’m 31 years old," Guernsey said.  "Every single one of them, and I represent 19 school districts, has significant construction or maintenance projects that (have) to be done."

The bill was passed by the Missouri HouseMonday and the Missouri Senatelast week.  It would require wage surveys to be split between union and non-union employers, and the prevailing wage would be set by the group that reported more hours of work. Labor union groups have fought against several bills this year proposing to either limit or completely scrap the prevailing wage, saying that it could lead to cut-rate contractors flooding into Missouri from other states.

Follow Marshall Griffin on Twitter:  @MarshallGReport

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Missouri Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a proud alumnus of the University of Mississippi (a.k.a., Ole Miss), and has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off the old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Mason, and their cat, Honey.
Marshall Griffin
St. Louis Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a native of Mississippi and proud alumnus of Ole Miss (welcome to the SEC, Mizzou!). He has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off an old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Liberty Belle, and their cat, Honey.