Dive Brief:
A new Associated Builders and Contractors list of state policies and programs ranks states for merit shop construction.
Arizona topped the rankings in the association's 2020 Merit Shop Scorecard for the first time, based on the state’s promotion of free enterprise and investment in workforce training. Georgia followed Arizona in second place this year, up from fifth in 2019. Florida, a year-to-year high performer, remained in the top five after two years in the top rank in 2018 and 2019.
Conversely, Virginia fell the most in the rankings, dropping more than 15 spots from 15th in 2019 to 31st this year. In 2020, Virginia’s legislature instituted a statewide prevailing wage and repealed the Fair and Open Competition Act, which had allowed qualified businesses to compete for public works projects without project labor agreements.