Prevailing Wage
The Federal Government requires the payment of Prevailing Wages for all Construction Contracts that have federal funding that exceeds $2,000, which includes federal, state and local public works projects. The Federal Davis/Bacon Act was signed into law by President Hebert Hoover in 1931 and amended in 1935 with wage conditions and amended again in 1964 to include the consideration of fringe benefits.
Texas adopted a prevailing wage statute in 1933 that was titled Vernon’s Civil Statutes 5159a and then amended and re-codified in 1995 to Texas Government Code Chapter 2258.
Chapter 2258 was amended by HB 2625 in the 80th Legislative Session in 2007. The Legislature removed language that restricted political subdivisions in the state from adopting or using the Federal Davis/Bacon Wage Determinations, if the publication of that survey was over three (3) old. Effective September 1, 2007, all political subdivisions in the State of Texas may adopt the Federal Davis/Bacon Wage Determinations and subsequent modifications without having to spend taxpayer dollars to conduct new wage surveys.
US – Department of Labor and Davis Bacon Web Links:
Government Occupational Titles
