UCANE’s 2021 Year End Wrap-Up 2021 Overview For the second year in a row, UCANE, like all businesses had to navigate the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. We once again had to cancel our Annual Banquet and most other in-person events. We were able to hold this year's Golf Tournament, Holiday Party and Auction, as well as a modified Trade Show. But as you can see from the information below, UCANE remained busy and vigilant, providing services and advocating on behalf of our industry. We are planning on a "normal" schedule in 2022 with several events and opportunities for members to gather and network once again. UCANE remains one of the strongest and most respected Construction Trade Associations in the region because of the generosity and commitment of its members, and we are looking forward to continuing that in 2022!
Legislative Activity UCANE reviewed over 6,000 pieces of legislation filed at the start of the session; monitored and tracked over 250 pieces of legislation; and took a more active role (i.e. testifying or speaking to committee leadership and staff) on over 60 pieces of legislation or appropriations. Many of these bills would have a negative impact on member companies and had been refiled from the previous session after UCANE successfully advocated against their passage. They ranged from establishing overly burdensome regulations to creating unfair advantages in public bidding laws. UCANE’s staff and our lobbyist Mark Molloy of Cascade Strategies, tracked these bills, and successfully lobbied against these measures by developing position papers and written testimony, visiting legislators with UCANE members, speaking at public hearings, and otherwise informing Beacon Hill legislators about the potential negative impacts of these bills. UCANE and Mark Molloy continue to protect and promote our industry and maintain our Association’s reputation as one of the most active and involved industry advocates on Beacon Hill. UCANE filed and advocated for four pieces of legislation aimed at improving the construction industry. Filed matters include: An Act Relative to Public Safety in Excavations (HB3265/SB2293); An
DECEMBER, 2021
Act Relative to Water Infrastructure Funding (HB920) /SB505); An Act Relative to the Payment of Police Details (HB2568/SB1752); and An Act Relative to the Construction of Water Treatment Plants (HB3220/ SB2122). UCANE supported initiatives related to the funding of the unemployment insurance fund, the need for clearly defining MBE/WBE requirements, and the passage of gas infrastructure reforms that would not harm contractors. UCANE successfully opposed public procurement measures proposed to the fiscal year 2022 Budget that would have adversely impacted the construction industry by reducing competition. Such measures, which had been adopted in one branch of the session before, were not included in either branch’s filings this year. UCANE weighed in on regulatory initiatives, such as the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s public hearing on 310 CMR 36.00, relative to conditions on Water Management Act regulations. UCANE met with almost the entire class of 19 newly elected legislators and newly appointed leadership of subject matter committees (i.e., Environment; State Administration; Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure; Public Service; etc.) to inform them about our Association, the Commonwealth’s water infrastructure needs, and the construction industry in Massachusetts in general.
COVID-19 Beginning in March of 2020, the world-wide COVID-19 pandemic really began to impact our daily lives and our member’s businesses, and continued throughout 2021. Since our contractors were deemed essential businesses, most operations were able to adapt to local, state, and CDC regulations regarding masking, social distancing, and various safety protocols to keep their employees safe, reduce spread of the disease, and complete vital infrastructure projects. Vaccines received federal approval in early 2021 and were made available to the general public by March. In spite of record setting rollout and availability of the vaccines, by the Fall of 2021 there remained confusion and uncertainty. continued on page 23
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