Maryland Passes Responsible Contracting Law

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) on Tuesday signed a bill that protects taxpayers by prohibiting private contractors who have broken the law from obtaining contracts with the state. SB 669 gives Maryland residents important new protection against unscrupulous companies that have a record of denying the rights of working families,preventing companies from signing contracts with the state if they have been convicted of a variety of offenses, including tax evasion, conspiracy to defraud the federal government, or willful violation of state prevailing and living wage rates, state wage and hour laws or state occupational safety and health laws. 
- Kenneth Quinnell, AFL-CIO Now blog