Delaware lawmakers are working to pass meaningful project labor agreement legislation, which supporters say ensures school buildings are built safely, on time and to last.
Senate Bill 272 sets $1 million threshold for school construction and renovation work
Delaware lawmakers are advancing a focused new project labor agreement bill that would extend PLA protections to one of the state’s most consequential construction sectors: public schools, according to a Bay to Bay News report published March 30.
Related guide: Project labor agreements in Delaware: current law and the 2026 bill
Senate Bill 272, introduced March 26 by Sen. Jack Walsh, D-Stanton, would require PLAs on all school construction and renovation projects costing $1 million or more. If enacted, it would take effect Jan. 1, 2027, and establish Delaware’s first PLA-mandate law.
The measure replaces the broader Senate Bill 241, which would have required PLAs on all state-funded projects costing $5 million or more. By narrowing the focus to schools — and lowering the threshold — SB 272 targets a sector where the case for PLAs is especially strong.
Project labor agreements are pre-hire collective bargaining contracts that set wages, benefits and working conditions before a project begins. They are designed to prevent work stoppages, resolve disputes efficiently and ensure that taxpayer-funded projects are completed on time and on budget.
Supporters of SB 272 have emphasized the stakes. The Delaware State Education Association, which represents more than 14,000 educators statewide, said students learn best in safe, modern school buildings — and that PLAs help ensure that school construction is done responsibly and built to last.
Walsh said the new bill reflects a deliberate strategy. “With this proposal, it is our hope to pass meaningful project labor agreement requirements by the end of the 153rd General Assembly on June 30,” he said in a March 26 statement.
SB 272 is scheduled for a Senate Labor Committee hearing within 12 legislative days.
