Ordered, That, the Joint Committee on Racial Equity, Civil Rights, and Inclusion shall make an investigation and study of diversity and inclusion in the construction industry including, without limitation, ways to create employment opportunities for racial and ethnic minorities, women and veterans within the construction industry and ways to ensure racial equity in the awarding of public construction contracts. Said study may include, but shall not be limited to: (i) diversity and inclusion standards in hiring of employees and in the awarding of public constriction contacts, including current data on non-union minority and women-owned contractors bidding on public projects; (ii) identifying obstacles to non-union minority and women-owned contractors bidding on public projects including, without limitation, an analysis of the laws, rules, regulations and policies related to bidding and subcontracting that could serve as a barrier to otherwise qualified minority, women or veteran owned contractors; (iii) analyzing the use of diversity and inclusion compliance standards and formalized access and opportunity committees within the division of capital asset management and maintenance; (iv) identifying obstacles to employment opportunities for racial and ethnic minorities, women and veterans within the construction industry; (v) identifying ways to encourage more racial and ethnic minority, women and veteran participation in apprenticeship programs including an analysis of the obstacles to completion of such programs by racial and ethnic minorities, women and veterans; (vi) the use and efficacy of project labor agreements to promote diversity and inclusion in the construction industry including a review of the standardization of access, inclusion, and diversity committees; (vii) the use and efficacy of accountability measures to ensure diversity and inclusion in the construction industry; and (viii) identifying geographic challenges to diversity and inclusion in the construction industry; and be if further

Ordered, That, the committee shall report the results of its investigation and study and its recommendation, if any, by filing a report, together with drafts of legislation if necessary, to carry its recommendations into effect, with the clerks of the House and Senate by December 31, 2021.