Page 170 - An Indispensible Resource for Being a Credible Activist

that a person commits the offense of promoting prostitution in the first degree if the person
knowingly advances prostitution by compelling a person by force, threat, or intimidation to
engage in prostitution, by profiting from such coercive conduct, or by advancing or profit-
ing from prostitution of a person younger than 18 years.
Inmate labor. The State House of Representatives requested that the State Department
of Land and Natural Resources, along with the State Department of Public Safety, develop a
plan to establish a statewide Inmate Conservation Corps Pilot Program. The purpose of the
program is to perform resource conservation projects, including forest fire prevention, for-
est and watershed management, maintenance of recreation areas, fish and game manage-
ment, soil conservation, forest and watershed revegetation, preventive maintenance or
reconstruction of levees, and any other work necessary to prevent flood damage.
Prevailing wage. The revision of the State Revised Statutes resulted in the state
Governor’s being authorized to suspend the prevailing wage on public projects during a
national emergency declared by the President or Congress or a state of emergency declared
by the Governor. Under State law, contractors can be suspended for failure to pay back
wages and penalties. For a first or second violation in this area, if a person or firm fails to
pay wages found due, any penalty assessed, or both, the person or firm shall be immedi-
ately suspended from doing any work on any public work of a governmental contracting
agency until all wages and penalties are paid in full. For a third violation, the contractor
shall immediately be suspended from doing any work on any public work of a governmen-
tal contracting agency for a mandatory 3-year period. If, after the 3-year suspension (also
mandated for falsification of records or delay or interference with an investigation), wages
or penalties remain unpaid, the suspension shall remain in force until payment in full is
made. As amended, the law now authorizes the State Department of Labor and Industrial
Relations to immediately suspend and begin debarment proceedings against contractors that
purposely defraud the State on a public-works project or that delay or interfere with the
department in determining whether there has been a violation of the prevailing-wage law.
Worker privacy. Legislation was passed that authorizes the State to protect the security
of personal information collected and maintained by State and county government agencies
by designating an agency employee to have policy and oversight responsibilities for the
protection of personal information. The designated employee will (1) ensure and coordinate
agency compliance; (2) assist individuals who have identity theft and privacy-related con-
cerns; (3) provide agency staff with education and information on privacy and security
issues; (4) coordinate with Federal, State, and county law enforcement agencies on identity
theft investigations; and (5) recommend policies and practices to protect individual privacy
rights relating to individuals’ personal information. The legislation establishes an informa-
tion privacy and security council within the Department of Accounting and General
Services. The council will identify best practices to assist government agencies in improving
security and privacy programs relating to personal information. Every State government
agency maintaining one or more personal information systems will be required to submit an
annual report to the council on the existence and character of each personal information sys-
tem added or eliminated since that agency’s previous annual report. Government agencies
must develop a plan to protect and redact personal information—for example, Social
Security numbers—contained in existing hardcopy documents prior to making the docu-

CHAPTER 11 • Different Laws in Different States 153