Carolinas AGC Protecting Infrastructure Funding
When Carolinas AGC learned the NC General Assembly would quickly convene a special session to suspend the gas tax to provide relief at the pump, we started working.
By Wednesday, October 7, just a couple of days later and before the brief session began, CAGC had lobbied behind the scenes and made our position clear: NC's roads, bridges and transportation infrastructure must be protected. Our efforts helped.
“The gas-tax suspension will cost $362.3 million through Nov. 30, and we are very appreciative and thankful that the NC General Assembly is covering this bill with the state's ‘stabilization and inflation’ reserve to protect the NC Department of Transportation's road construction program,” said Dave Simpson, CAGC President & CEO, in a news release.
Other CAGC action includes:
Construction Safety Takes Center Stage
- CAGC recently joined NUCA of The Carolinas and the NC Department of Labor to bring more than 200 contractors, safety professionals and industry partners together for live demonstrations and practical guidance focused on struck-by prevention, heat illness prevention and highway work zone safety. Attendees explored equipment and emerging safety technologies from John Deere, CAT and Liebherr designed to improve visibility, awareness and protection on the jobsite.
Other CAGC Highlights
- We're expecting more than 500 attendees at our 106th Winter Convention on Paradise Island, Bahamas, in January 2027. Details here.
- CAGC officers and staff plugged into regulatory and political issues in D.C. this fall at AGC of America's National & Chapter Leadership Conference.
- In October, we are hosting three Contractors Showcases for CAGC members in Charleston, Charlotte and Raleigh. Big crowds are attending, and we'll host three more in Q1 2027.
- Our Young Leaders program hit our 2026 goal of 500 members. With the Young Leaders Conference just around the corner, this is a perfect time to join and get involved!
- Check out our CAGC Health Plan and benefits that could save you big bucks.
- We continue to host more than 100 extremely popular meetings and events each year, including our Donuts with Contractors events in both states. We also had another sold-out Sporting Clays Championship in October in Polkton.
- We're pleased to welcome 105 new members to Carolinas AGC through Q3 and plan to add several dozen more before year's end.
- In late July, we hosted a successful Summer Summit & EXPO with nearly 900 attendees.
Government Relations
- In NC, CAGC prevented the Job Order Contracting provision in the Regulatory Reform bill from moving forward, thwarting, for now, a major change in NC public bidding laws that we oppose.
- We continue to work with and monitor NCDOT's reevaluation of companies eligible to participate in the federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program, including when goals will be placed on projects. We are also monitoring potential changes to the state's MB/WB program, which expires in August 2027.
- In the legislature, our focus is on work zone safety and the use of speed cameras to enforce speed limits.
- In SC, we're excited to host the sold-out 2026 Annual SC PAC Golf Tourney.
- The FY 2026-27 General Appropriations bill was finalized by the General Assembly in August. The budget dedicates $50 million for bridge modernization and millions of dollars across various agencies for capital improvement and local community investment projects.
- The General Assembly and Gov. Henry McMaster approved legislation requiring state-funded projects to use U.S.-produced iron and steel. CAGC is working to ensure that an undue burden will not be placed on the construction industry.
- ARTBA and Carolinas AGC's P3s in South Carolina: A Workshop for Contractors, held at the Palmetto Club in Columbia, brought industry leaders together to explore South Carolina's emerging P3 market, including SCDOT modernization legislation and lessons from national P3 projects. Two panel discussions examined how P3s are structured and delivered, opportunities and considerations for contractors, and the role South Carolina's contracting community could play in this evolving infrastructure delivery model.
CAGC Foundation
- Stay tuned for exciting new developments, ideas and programs in 2027.
- CAGC continues to offer member-only cybersecurity briefings and peer discussions to help our industry stay ahead of emerging threats.
- SC & High School Chapters: SC Virtual Charter Schools recently joined our CAGC High School Chapters, expanding opportunities to introduce more students to careers in commercial construction.
- Construction Bootcamps: Our Construction Bootcamps continue to deliver strong workforce results. So far in 2026, 251 participants have enrolled, 201 have completed training for an 80% completion rate, and 204 have earned at least one industry-recognized credential. Participants have earned more than 383 credentials, with 133 reported positive employment or education outcomes.
Division Activities
- The CAGC NC/SC ACEC Joint Committee continued research and information collection on PFAS and PFOA in the Carolinas. The committee expects to publish its findings and recommendations in early 2027.
- Three Instructor Certification Classes certified 18 new craft instructors.
- We held the second Digging Deeper Utility Division Update Meeting and published our quarterly Utility Insights newsletter.
Get Out & Vote, and Please Support Our PACs!
With the Nov. 3 elections around the corner, please make sure you vote and support our PACs: NC, SC, AGCA and ARTBA.
Best,
Dave Simpson has served CAGC since 1989, including 12 years as President & CEO.