PREVAILING WAGE-PUBLIC WORKS
What changed between versions
The primary statute amended changed from the Prevailing Wage Act (820 ILCS 130) to the Illinois Power Agency Act (20 ILCS 3855), indicating a fundamental shift in the legislative intent and governing rules.
The previous broad definition of 'public works' was removed, which previously included general construction, demolition, maintenance, and various infrastructure projects like fiber optics and street lighting.
New definitions were added for specific project types, including 'Brownfield site photovoltaic project,' 'Clean coal facility,' 'Clean coal SNG brownfield facility,' and 'Clean coal SNG facility,' which now determine eligibility for prevailing wage requirements.
Eligibility for prevailing wage rates is now strictly limited to projects matching the new definitions (e.g., solar on brownfields, specific clean coal technologies) rather than the previous broad category of public-funded works.
