Massachusetts construction contractors could get greater scrutiny if a union-backed budget amendment from a Boston state legislator is adopted.

State Rep. Dan Cullinane, D-Boston, has proposed the state spend $500,000 to create a specialized unit in Attorney General Maura Healey’s office focused on investigating wage theft complaints in the construction industry, according to MassLive. Cullinane once worked for former Attorney General Martha Coakley investigating wage theft, the paper noted.

Healey’s office issued $2.7 million in fines and restitution orders last year, her office said in February. In total, 165 citations were issued against 66 companies that year. Violations in these cases included the failure to pay proper wages, failure to pay overtime, retaliation and failure to furnish records for inspection. For work performed on public construction projects, violations included failure to pay the prevailing wage, failure to submit true and accurate certified payroll records and failure to register and pay apprentices appropriately.