(a) The Director of Industrial Relations may establish rules and regulations for the purpose of carrying out this chapter, including, but not limited to, the responsibilities and duties of awarding bodies under this chapter.

(b) When a request is made to the director for a determination of whether a specific project or type of work awarded or undertaken by a political subdivision is a public work, he or she shall make that determination within 60 days receipt of the last notice of support or opposition from any interested party relating to that project or type of work that was not unreasonably delayed, as determined by the director. If the director deems that the complexity of the request requires additional time to make that determination, the director may have up to an additional 60 days if he or she certifies in writing to the requestor, and any interested party, the reasons for the extension. If the requestor is not a political subdivision, the requester shall, within 15 days of the request, serve a copy of the request upon the political subdivision, in which event the political subdivision shall, within 30 days of its receipt, advise the director of its position regarding the request. For projects or types of work that are otherwise private development projects receiving public funds, as specified in subdivision (b) of Section 1720, the director shall determine whether a specific project or type of work is a public work within 120 days of receipt of the last notice of support or opposition relating to that project or type of work from any interested party that was not unreasonably delayed, as determined by the director.

(c) If an administrative appeal of the director’s determination is made, it shall be made within 30 days of the date of the determination. The director shall issue a determination on the administrative appeal within 120 days after receipt of the last notice of support or opposition relating to that appeal from any interested party that was not unreasonably delayed, as determined by the director. The director may have up to an additional 60 days if he or she certifies in writing to the party requesting the appeal the reason for the extension.

(d) The director shall have quasi-legislative authority to determine coverage of projects or types of work under the prevailing wage laws of this chapter. A final determination on any administrative appeal is subject to judicial review pursuant to Section 1085 of the Code of Civil Procedure. These determinations, and any determinations relating to the general prevailing rate of per diem wages and the general prevailing rate for holiday, shift rate, and overtime work, shall be exempt from the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 780, Sec. 3. (SB 377) Effective January 1, 2014.)