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The article discusses updates in the statutes in Florida covering the construction industry in a bid to bolster building safety, ensure prompt payment of construction services, and reduce insurance claims. Also cited are some fatal accidents that inspired said statutes like the Fidenae ampitheater collapse in A.D. 27, and the exemptions in areas like licensing, coding, and permitting.

Though Local content laws (LCLs) remain an essential tool in developing local capacities, ensuring skills transfers, community participation, enhancing linkages between the construction sector and other sectors of the economy amid competition in both the developed and developing economies, Ghana's construction industry has been without a Local content law. This study determined the principal and sub constraints to the development of a Local content law for the Ghanaian construction industry, using principal component analysis (PCA). The use of PCA, varimax rotation in data analysis aided in reducing the large set of constraints to four principal components. Using a questionnaire survey, 667 indigenous practitioners validated 21 constraints, conceptualized from literature and structured interview, based on their knowledge and/or experience. Correlations between the 21 variables showed that four principal components explained the constraints to the development of a Local content law for the Ghanaian construction industry: political and economic, capacity, external supports, and belief constraints. It was also revealed that 4 out of the 21 constraints were peculiar to Ghana only. Findings and recommendations of this study may be useful for industry stakeholders who are seeking innovative ways to develop indigenous construction firms' competitiveness and capacity and LCL related decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores issues in international construction law, the development of the Business and Human Rights treaty and its implications for migrant workers. Topics discussed are influence of globalization in drafting the treaty, human rights abuses in the lead-up to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Brazil and 2022 Qatar World Cup, lack of transparency and failure to monitor human rights violations among migrant construction workers in the Persian Gulf, and accountability of construction firms.

The article discusses the equitable remedies of contribution and indemnity under Missouri's Construction law. Other topics include statutory right to contribution among joint tortfeasors, the Supreme Court of Missouri's decision on contribution doctrine in the case Missouri Pac. R. Co. v. Whitehead & Kales Co., and equitable contribution among joint debtors.

Amending construction permits is important for regulation of construction. Serbia had an inflexible system that did not allow it, due to lack of transferability of the underlying rights and state monopoly over construction land. Enabling ownership of construction land made it necessary to allow the transfer of construction permits. This was done while maintaining the system of issuing construction permits to developers and focusing on digitalization. This made the rights from administrative decisions transferable, which should not be the case. The root of confusion is a lack of distinction between public and private law aspects of construction. Comparatively, coupling construction permit with a developer is traditional in the former Yugoslav countries. In countries that did not have a socialist period, public and private law aspects of construction are distinguished and construction permit is coupled with the land. This solution is an indication for future development of construction law in Serbia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental protection requires adopting and implementing legal, economic, and societal procedures to limit the side effects of the massive real-estate and economic development in today’s world. The purpose of this research was to investigate the implementation level of the eight main environmental laws affecting the construction industry in Saudi Arabia, and to identify the difficulties faced by practitioners to implement these laws. Using the descriptive analytical approach, this research described and analyzed the level of implementation of environmental laws using a Likert scale questionnaire distributed to 1000 organizations that work in 29 construction industry fields, in 13 Saudi Arabian regions. These questionnaires were filled out by engineers and professionals, authorized contractors, unauthorized contractors, individuals, and officials and owners. The one-way ANalysis Of VAriance (ANOVA) was applied to the data collected (at <0.05 level of significance), using SPSS Version 23.0 software. The overall environmental legitimacy implementation level in Saudi Arabia was found to be 2.95 out of 5.00 and a standard deviation of 1.13 indicating difficulties in defining the level for environmental legitimacy implementation in the construction industry. Results indicated that more attention was given to regulations related to the handling and disposal of radioactive materials, hazardous waste management, wastewater discharges, hazardous and dangerous substance compliance programs, environmental noise, general environmental requirements, air quality emissions, and external emergency planning with mean values of 3.23, 3.12, 3.10, 3.06, 3.05, 2.95, 2.80, and 2.75, respectively. Further investigation is required to evaluate internal auditing, accounting, and the availability of review teams regarding the environment in the industrial organizations in Saudi Arabia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Webb-Pomerene Act exempts manufacturing associations formed for the purpose of export trade from the Sherman Antitrust Act. By combining together in export associations, small firms can compete with foreign cartels. A current move is to extend the act to include the service sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on challenges posed by construction contracting with the local government in Florida. Topics discussed include laws governing construction in the country; local government purchasing ordinances; and sovereign immunity protection for the local government in care of waiver of the same.

The article discusses the relation of Idaho Code title 45, chapter 5 to liens for construction services and materials. Topics include the applications of liens to buildings or structures, timing requirements for lien claims filed by providers of materials or services, and case law related to the Idaho Supreme Court cases Sims v. ACI Northwest, Inc. and Hap Taylor & Sons, Inc. v. Summerwind Partners, LLC.

This article examines the Australian Coalition Government’s attempt to restore the rule of law in the building and construction industry, through the procurement requirements in the Code for the Tendering and Performance of Building Work 2016 (Cth) (‘2016 Code’). It traces the evolution of the separate scheme of construction regulation adopted in 2005 following the Cole Royal Commission, the subsequent Labor Government changes to this scheme, and the initiatives of the Coalition Government since 2013. The article then considers the use of procurement guidelines to implement workplace reform in the construction industry since 1997, followed by a detailed explanation of the new procurement rules in the 2016 Code. The concept of the rule of law is examined as a basis for analysis of arguments in support of its reinstatement in the Australian construction industry. The article concludes that the Government’s use of the procurement rules in the 2016 Code is partly aimed at restoring the rule of law — narrowly conceived as ensuring compliance with the law — but is also a mechanism to reduce union power and enhance productivity in the Australian construction industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clients are required to undertake a range of actions in terms of the South African Construction Regulations, which are health and safety (H&S) specific. However, clients may appoint a Construction H&S Agent (CHSA) in terms of the regulations to fulfil their duties. Furthermore, globally, better practice clients have implemented contractor H&S management programmes. The purpose of the study reported on is to determine the impact of a contractor H&S management programme managed by an independent H&S consultant, on contractor H&S performance, including the related contractors’ perceptions. Contractors participating in the contractor H&S management programme were surveyed using a self-administered questionnaire. The salient findings include: quality is most important to both clients and contractors, followed by H&S in the case of contractors, and time in the case of clients; increased client satisfaction, less impact on the environment, and increased worker satisfaction predominate in terms of the form of improvement in contractors’ H&S performance, and awareness, and focus on H&S predominate in terms of contributors to such improvement. Based upon the findings, it can be concluded that the client contractor H&S management programme had an impact on contractors’ H&S performance, which benefits all project stakeholders. It is recommended that clients, especially repeat clients, should implement a client contractor H&S management programme, which is managed by an independent consultant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the way in which legislative regulation seeks to enhance consumer protection in relation to the procurement of residential construction work. Its focus is upon reforms to the statutory regime for such protection in Victoria which were enacted during 2016-17. These reforms are primarily directed towards reducing the incidence of defective work through the tightening of 'quality assurance' provisions, such as ensuring that work is carried out by qualified practitioners, and of 'safety net' measures such as conciliation processes to avoid the escalation of disputes. The article analyses these reforms by reference to identified problems relating to defective residential construction work. These range from high-profile incidents such as the 2014 cladding-related fire at the Lacrosse Apartments in Melbourne (and the fire, with similar causes yet tragically more disastrous consequences, at the Grenfell Tower in London in 2017), through to more mundane -- yet, frequently occurring -- problems such as poor workmanship and behaviours. The article concludes that the Victorian reforms are clearly directed towards many of these identified problems. It cautions, however, that the success of the reforms in contributing to an effective consumer protection regime may be limited because other factors contributing to the widespread incidence of defects remain unaddressed. These factors include gaps such as the non-prescriptive nature of many of the regulatory requirements, and the limited capacity of project participants to assimilate the detailed requirements of the regime, and for regulators to enforce it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author examines challenges associated with community benefits agreements (CBAs) and efforts to extend rights of historically marginalized groups to include opportunities in the construction industry. He argues that this right to build the city could create a form of neoliberalism and gentrification that negatively affects others in order to support marginalized groups.

This paper takes a detailed look at the principle of liquidated damages and provides an insightful update that will be of use to professionals, employers and contractors alike. The authors initially look at the historic approach taken by both the industry and the courts to liquidated damages and then move on to consider how developments in case law have recently added the concept of commercial justification. Finally, an analysis of the approach taken by two of the widely used standard form contracts is followed by a series of practical tips. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the laws of construction warranties in Tennessee. Topics discussed include most common construction warranties, those flowing from the contractor to the owner; construction warranties as in the American Institute of Architects (AIA) General Conditions of the Contract for Construction; and the Court of Appeals "Hankins v. Johnson."

The article focuses on several court cases on several topics including statute of limitations in personal injury, confidentiality owed by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) of Great Britain and Building and Construction Industry Security' of Payment Act 2002 of Victoria.

Information is given on the Academic Forum of the Society of Construction Law (SCL) at the Sixth International Construction Law Conference in São Paolo, Brazil on September 13, 2016, which discusses the knowledge gap between construction law and lawyers and construction professionals.

The article discusses changes in British construction law, particularly London, England from 2006 to 2016, highlighting the landmarks in the building and legal environment that includes the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, and developments in case law.

The article explores changes in construction law in Australia during the period from 2006 to 2016, as well as their effects on construction projects and the retreat of common law.

Amendments to the Law on Value Added Tax from 2012 introduced the application of the reverse-charge mechanism into Serbian legislation in the construction industry. Subsequent changes from 2015 have expanded the scope of the reversecharge mechanism in the construction industry, and one of the reasons were uncertainties that arose while applying the said mechanism in former practice. Namely, the main concern was whether a given supply should be treated as a supply from the construction industry for the purposes of VAT or not, under the applicable rules. However, the abovementioned changes have further complicated the situation, significantly increased legal uncertainty and additionally burdened VAT-payers (as well as the Ministry of Finance itself, which drafted the new provision) due to the fact that there is a need to interpret, on a daily basis essentially, who is liable to compute VAT for a vast variety of supplies that might be deemed as supplies from the construction industry. Furthermore, the (official) reasons for introducing the reverse-charge mechanism are not entirely in line with the reasons for which this mechanism is used within the EU. Therefore potential changes should be considered regarding the application of the said mechanism in the construction industry on the territory of the Republic of Serbia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A speech by British Master of the Rolls Lord Dyson, on the subject of the significance of legal cases related to construction law and their part in the development of the common law, delivered on March 25, 2015, at the Assembly Hall in the Church House Conference Centre at Westminster in London, England, is presented.

The article focuses on importance of Arbitratry contracts in construction industry and misconception of lawyers in the U.S. including laws for compelling nonsignatories to involve while resolving dispute, validity of arbitration agreements and role of third-party beneficiary in resolving disputes.

The article focuses on disputes related to the Miller Act and contingent fees payment including resolving clauses of construction contract, amendment in the Construction Industry Payment Protection Act on waiver provisions and discusses case between Walton Technology Inc. v. West star Engg Inc.

The article focuses on challenges faced by government contractors and dispute clauses in construction industry in the U.S. including disagreement on parties' contract, obligation to continue work under Contract Disputes Act (CDA) and Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) on Disputes Clauses.

The article offers information on the revision of the Chapter 40 or the construction defect law of Nevada through the passing of the Assembly Bill (A.B.) 125. Topics include the history of the law which was created in 1995 along with its overhaul and problems, the possible consequences and benefits of the revised law, and recommendations for potential solution to such problems.

The article discusses the Australia's Building and Construction Industry Security for Payments Act 1999 and the application of natural justice to the adjudication of the law.

The article discusses the difference in laws regarding construction disputes in the U.S. from other countries, and how it affects non-U.S. lawyers.

The article discusses the history of Illinois' Public Construction Bond Act and cites an Illinois Supreme Court decision in Lake County Grading Co. LLC v. Village of Antioch which shows the protections afforded by the Act and the risks of failing to meet its procedural requirements.