ABC 2023 Maryland General Assembly Report to Membership

Ally WetheraldLegislative Alerts

For ABC’s 1500+ member firms, the 2023 Maryland General Assembly was a particularly challenging one as legislators wrestled with the practical implications of legalized cannabis, flirted with criminalizing prevailing wage violations, and imposed union-labor requirements on offshore-wind-energy projects. In a session that saw the introduction of nearly 2500 bills, ABC’s …

Does Your Safety Director Know about Our Safety Peer Group?

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Our active Safety Professional Peer Group is made up of 30+ of the region’s most experienced safety professionals and those newer to the safety profession. During their monthly, 90-minute meetings, the group shares best practices, reviews new federal & local state regulations, and explores how they can more greatly impact the industry to …

Meet our New Chair & 2023 Board Members!

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Larry Lopez, general manager with WorkBridge, LLC, is the 2023 Chair of the Board for ABC Greater Baltimore. Larry has been active in ABC locally and nationally now for ten years. His national participation led him to become Chair of ABC National’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee for several years.  “Here …

Cannabis: Way Forward is as Clear as Mud

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When Maryland voters approved a constitutional amendment that would legalize recreational marijuana, for employers, it raised a lot more questions than answers. i Cannabis will be fully legalized this July. Given that cannabis is traceable in your system for as much as 30 days, it becomes much more a matter …

ABC Baltimore 2022 Craft Competition Winners

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The countdown to ABC’s National Craft Championships has begun, with five local apprentices emerging victorious in last month’s Greater Baltimore Craft Competition. The event was held on October 13th at our Construction Education Academy. A hearty congratulations to the following winners who will go on to represent ABC Greater Baltimore …

ABC Member Anniversaries

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Anniversary Year Joined Company 50 1972 Alger Electric 50 1972 HMS Insurance Associates, Inc. 50 1972 Precision Concrete Const. Co., Inc. 30 1992 Centerline Construction Copmany 30 1992 Harkins Builders, Inc. 25 1997 A & I, Inc. 25 1997 Bollinger Bros 25 1997 Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company 25 1997 Clark …

New Trade School ‘Experiment’ is Working!

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Last fall when ABC started its day-time trade school for post-high school students, there was more than a little apprehension over whether this new initiative would work… We began that first cohort with 43 students. Within the first month (of a six-month program) more than a third of the students had …

ABC Baltimore Remembers Bill Gough and Dave Brodie

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“The construction industry has lost two significant leaders in recent weeks, both of whom were good friends of this organization. Bill Gough, a Vice President of M. Nelson Barnes and Sons, passed away last month. Then, just last week, David Brodie, a Vice President of Wohlsen Construction, passed away. I got …

2022 ABC Greater Baltimore STEP Winners

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DIAMOND Allan MyersCBG Building CompanyCK CommercialConstruction Cleaning ServiceG.E. Frisco Co., Inc.Genesis CorporationGilbane Building CompanyGLB Concrete Construction, Inc.Harkins Builders, Inc.Helix ElectricHercules Fence of Maryland LLCIacoboni Site Specialists, Inc.J. Vinton Schafer, A Quandel CompanyJ.D. Belfield Enterprises, LLCKBE Building CorporationM. Davis & Sons, Inc.M.C. Dean, Inc.MacKenzie Contracting Company, LLCSouthway Builders, Inc.TEI Electrical Solutions …

Understanding Maryland’s New Electrical Licensing Law

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What Every Electrical Contractor, Master, Electrician, Apprentice, and Helper Need to Understand Listen to the ABC/IEC Zoom Webinar  IMPORTANT: After the 12/31/22 deadline, THE ONLY APPLICANTS WHO CAN SECURE THE JOURNEYPERSON LICENSE WITHOUT HAVING TO TAKE AN EXAM ARE THOSE WHO HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED AN APPROVED ELECTRICIAN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.  As …

Making Heads and Tails Out of the New Electrical License

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‘Electricians Act – Revisions’ Passes; Plugs Holes in Last Year’s Bill ABC and IEC to Co-Host Virtual Joint ‘Listen/Question & Answer’ Session — JULY 13 Mention the new electrical license bill that was passed last year by the General Assembly, and if you are an apprentice, journey worker, master electrician, …

PLA Executive Order Is Bad Public Policy

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Last month, President Joe Biden signed an executive order requiring project labor agreements on federal construction projects over $35 million. The White House claimed that the order will help ease management concerns and organization on large construction projects. ABC sent a letter to the White House highlighting concerns with President Biden’s efforts …

ABC Provides Harkins’ Interns with Hands-on Trades Experience

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Last week, ABC hosted Harkins Builders’ winters interns. The program is designed to provide individuals with little to no construction experience an opportunity to explore construction management as a profession. The interns attended a 2-day hands-on training program at our Construction Education Academy in Baltimore. Some of the training included …

Trade School Interest Levels Soar as 40 Local High School Guidance Counselors join Zoom Meeting to Learn More

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Sharon Burley, ABC Greater Baltimore’s Programs Outreach Coordinator, sat down via Zoom last month with over 40 local high school guidance counselors to discuss college alternatives for students post-graduation. Sharon was able to talk about our Construction Education Academy trade school and apprenticeship opportunities. Immediately after the call, Sharon received …

ABC Joins the Construction Coalition opposing President Biden’s Executive Order 14063, which requires PLAs on federal construction contracts exceeding $35 million

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On February 15th, Associated Builders and Contractors and 15 associations and organizations representing tens of thousands of companies and millions of employees in the construction industry sent a letter to the White House highlighting concerns with President Joe Biden’s efforts to require controversial government-mandated project labor agreements on federal and federally assisted …

2022 ABC Workforce Development Survey

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In 2021, we made significant progress educating and upskilling construction professionals across the industry. ABC has commissioned management consulting firm FMI to conduct ABC’s fourth annual survey to quantify the current investment and workforce development efforts of member contractors and chapters. This year, to simplify the data collection process, a …

Beltway Blueprint

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Congress Responds to Biden Reset: This week, Congress is setting out on a new legislative path following President Joe Biden’s nearly two-hour news conference last Wednesday afternoon where he highlighted a potential new strategy to move forward key legislative priorities this year. In a letter last Friday to her colleagues, Speaker Pelosi …