Wisconsin PHC Contractor Winter 2018

From the
CAPITOL
UPDATES FROM THE NATIONAL AND STATE CAPITOLS
The Plumbing Code Advisory Committee continues to meet
to discuss proposed changes to the state’s Uniform Plumbing
Code. Committee members report that the dialogue between
committee members and the DSPS has gone well and that
the package of changes could be significant if they adopt
most or all of what has been discussed to date. Codes are
administrative rules and there is a lengthy process that
must be followed before the rules are final. A reasonable
expectation for a code change would appear to be late 2019
or early 2020.
The report from the DSPS to the legislature and the
governor’s office regarding occupational licensing is due on
or before Dec. 31, 2018. Both Republicans and Democrats have
expressed interest in the issue, especially as it relates to the
value to public health and safety, costs to consumers, and the
ability to bring in more workers to certain trades. Still, there
are differences in approach between the parties, so the next
steps will likely be affected by the election outcomes. PHCC-
WI continues to monitor this issue closely. The report covers
licenses issued by DSPS and all state agencies, so it includes
licenses held by pump installer and geothermal drillers, for
instance (which are issued by the DNR).
-Garage Catch Basins
-Grease Interceptors
Standard and Custom
-Custom Drainage
Structures
405 S Arch St.
Janesville, WI 53548
608-752-6507
sales@dalmaray.com
President Trump has signed PHCC-supported S. 3021, the
Water Resources Development Act (known as “America’s
Water Infrastructure Act of 2018”), which includes language
officially authorizing the U.S. EPA’s WaterSense program
in perpetuity. The signature of the act also includes more
than $6 billion in funding for water infrastructure projects
nationwide. This is significant, as passage of S. 3021 now
makes WaterSense a permanent budget item, not a year-byyear
budget item.
The U.S. Department of Labor is slated to conduct a Public
Rulemaking concerning the 2016 Overtime Rule, which was
stayed by litigation in a Texas Federal Court. The 2016 rule
would have raised the minimum salary level for the socalled
“white collar” exemption from $23,660 to nearly $48,000
per year. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta has previously
indicated that he favored some modest increase of the
minimum salary threshold for exemption. Public comments
were taken by DOL on this topic in late 2017; now the Office
of Information and Regulatory Affairs has issued information
on its website indicating a proposed rulemaking would begin
in March 2019. PHCC will follow this process as it develops
and will file appropriate comments to the proposed rule in a
timely fashion.
PHCC was selected to participate in a White House Economic
Summit hosted by the Trump Administration last week at the
White House. The goal of the summit was to highlight recent
progress and economic growth as a result of comprehensive
tax reform and regulatory reform.
Laurie Crigler, PHCC-National Association’s 2017/2018
president said, “The information that we heard was
very beneficial for PHCC members and their businesses,
particularly small businesses. We heard about issues that do
not normally appear in the media. According to this summit,
the GDP is above predictions and regulatory reform continues
the “add one regulation, take two away” concept that has
been key to President Trump’s regulatory reform. We were
so pleased that PHCC was asked to attend this summit.”
The maximum earnings subject to the Social Security
payroll tax will increase to $132,900 for 2019. The 2018 rate
was $128,400.
10 The Wisconsin PHC Contractor WINTER 2018