Rep. John Ley’s bill to assist the construction industry receives approval from Washington State House of Representatives

House Bill 1857, introduced by Rep. John Ley, aims to reduce construction costs by exempting certain building materials from asbestos-related restrictions.

House Bill 1857 would help businesses and labor groups reduce the cost of construction by exempting commercial aggregates or asphalt and concrete materials from restrictions

On Wednesday (March 12), the Washington State House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan bill from Rep. John Ley, his first as a state representative.

House Bill 1857 would help businesses and labor groups reduce the cost of construction by exempting commercial aggregates or asphalt and concrete materials from restrictions pertaining to labeling and the use of naturally occurring asbestos-containing building materials.

“This legislation would exempt commercial aggregates from the current policy because of the costs it imposes on industry and construction,” said Ley, R-Vancouver. “This policy would benefit communities by allowing them to provide cheaper, locally harvested aggregate for use in construction projects.”

HB 1857 would also exempt certain facility owners from asbestos inspection, management, and reporting requirements for commercial aggregates or asphalt and concrete material. Additionally, commercial aggregates would be exempted from the prohibition on manufacturing, wholesaling, or distributing asbestos-containing building materials for sale without labeling them and on using asbestos-containing building materials in new construction or renovations.

“This legislation would also benefit the environment and traffic by reducing the number of trucks coming from long distances to import the needed aggregate if this change were not made,” said Ley, who represents the 18th Legislative District.

“These materials are vital to the construction industry, specifically for roads, driveways, and parking lots,” Ley said. “These rocks and aggregates are the foundation of our construction industry, and this bill is a boost for local jobs.”

“Washington is dealing with an ongoing affordable housing crisis, and this policy provides a way to reduce manufacturing costs for builders,” said Ley. “If this bill reaches the governor’s desk, it will lower the cost of every new driveway and street by removing the cost of testing these materials and the facilities that manufacture them.”

The bill now heads to the Senate for further consideration.

Information provided by Washington State House Republicans, houserepublicans.wa.gov