Latest news with #HouseBill1549
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania lawmakers pass changes to minimum wage, future uncertain
(WHTM) — A bill proposing changes to Pennsylvania's minimum wage has passed the State House today. House Bill 1549, sponsored by Rep. Jason Dawkins (D-179), passed the Pennsylvania State House, 102-101. The bill proposes amending the Minimum Wage Act of 1968 to further provide for 'definitions, for minimum wages, and for exemptions.' Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'Using a tiered approach will allow us to tailor the minimum wage to reflect the cost-of-living in a local area,' said Dawkins on Wednesday. 'It's no secret that a $12 wage in Philadelphia is different than a $12 wage in Altoona. This bill reflects that reality and creates a framework to raise the wage for all workers – and ensure they can afford to live in their communities.' The bill would provide 'a fixed minimum wage and overtime rates for employees, with certain exceptions; providing for minimum rates for learners and apprentices; creating a Minimum Wage Advisory Board and defining its powers and duties; conferring powers and imposing duties upon the Department of Labor and Industry; imposing duties on employers; and providing penalties, further providing for definitions, for minimum wages and for exemptions.' Every State Democrat in the House voted in favor of the bill, while every Republican voted against the bill. The bill will move to the Senate for consideration and will likely be dead on arrival due to the Republican majority. 'Our workers deserve a fair wage for a hard day's work, and this bill gets them there. I am urging my Senate colleagues to take this bill up and get this done for the working people of Pennsylvania,' added Dawkins. This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as more information becomes available Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
State House advances bill to increase minimum wage in Pennsylvania
The exterior of the Pennsylvania state Capitol. (Photo by Amanda Mustard for the Pennsylvania Capital-Star). The state House is inching closer to passing a bill to raise the minimum wage in Pennsylvania, an outcome long sought by Democrats and opposed by Republicans. House Bill 1549 would increase it to $15 per hour for most Pennsylvanians, though in some smaller counties, it would only raise it to $12. The proposal would also raise the minimum wage for tipped workers. 'We are falling far, far, far behind,' Rep. Jason Dawkins (D-Philadelphia), the bill's sponsor said when it was debated in committee last week. 'Given our economic uncertainty, I think it's our duty as elected members to give [to] families across this commonwealth who have struggled to afford basic necessities.' The commonwealth's current minimum wage matches the federal rate at $7.25. It has not increased since 2008, and remains lower than those in surrounding states – New York, Ohio, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. The timeline laid out in the bill for the proposed minimum wage, as well as the ultimate figure, would vary county by county. For employers in Philadelphia County, the minimum wage would be $15 on January 1, 2026. Elsewhere, the minimum wage would increase gradually, reaching $15 or $12 on January 1, 2028. The difference is based on population. Counties with under 210,000 people, with the exception of Centre, Pike and Monroe Counties, will only see their minimum wage rise to $12. Beginning in 2029, the minimum wage would increase annually, based on federal cost of living statistics. On the floor Tuesday, Rep. Seth Grove (R-York), criticized the bill, calling its county-based tier system a 'dumb idea.' 'I look at York right next to Adams County. We're gonna have two different rates for those two now,' Grove said. 'How do businesses operate under such draconian policies? How is anyone supposed to figure this out?' Democrats, however, have long pushed for an increase to Pennsylvania's minimum wage, with most Republicans opposing it. Gov. Josh Shapiro, however, has long endorsed a minimum wage hike. On Monday, he posted on social media that the current minimum wage is 'too damn low.' 'It's time to put more money back in Pennsylvanian's pockets and raise the minimum wage,' he wrote. The bill would also raise the minimum wage for tipped workers from the current $2.83 per hour to 60% of the minimum wage. That would be $9 where the minimum wage is $15 and $7.20 where it's $12. House Bill 1549 must still be voted on one more time on the state House floor before it can pass. It will also have to earn support in the Republican-controlled Senate. Across the country, some Republicans are calling for a hike in minimum wage. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced a bipartisan bill in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday that would raise the minimum wage everywhere in the U.S. to $15. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Debate within the debate: Should Pennsylvania's tipped minimum wage rise too?
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — The overall debate is not new. Neither are the arguments: All surrounding states — even West Virginia, supporters of raising Pennsylvania's base pay from $7.25 are always sure to note — have higher minimum wages than Pennsylvania. But raising it could cause consumer prices to rise and cost jobs, opponents always say. But within that familiar debate — this time over House Bill 1549, which would raise minimum wage to $15 (and eventually beyond) for most Pennsylvanians at different rates depend on which counties they call home — is the question of whether if that happens, employers of tipped workers (like restaurants who employ servers) should have to pay more than the $2.83 per hour, before tips, they're currently required to pay. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now What's already true, and wouldn't change under any plan, is: For tipped workers who don't earn much, employers have to make up the difference between tipped minimum wage and full minimum wage. But under the proposed bill, tipped minimum wage would rise to 60 percent of regular minimum wage — or, for example, $9.00 when minimum wage in a given county rises to $15. The problem with that, according to restaurant industry leaders? 'What this tripling of the base wage would mean, is restaurants would need to recoup those additional expenses somehow,' said Joe Massaro of the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association (PRLA). New Rite Aid locations listed for closure in Pennsylvania: court docs Massaro cited the experience of Washington, D.C., where years ago, the city's Democratic mayor and city council previously overturned a law — backed by other Democrats and approved by voter referendum — that would have required restaurants to pay employees full minimum wage before tips. Now leaders there have paused a minimum wage hike, under a subsequently passed referendum, due to go into effect July 1. D.C. restaurants recouped the higher wages 'mostly by adding service charges to the bill,' Massaro said. 'And when that service charge is added, then consumers customers pay less in tips, so servers were reporting making less money after the change.' Massaro said the average tipped Pennsylvania employee earns $27 per hour. PRLA backs a proposed amendment by State Rep. Robert Leadbeter (R-Columbia) to House Bill 1549, which would exclude employers of tipped workers from the proposed minimum wage hike. The overall legislation enjoys strong support by Democrats, who narrowly control the commonwealth's House of Representatives, but faces tougher odds in the Republican-controlled Senate, which would need to pass the bill before it could go to Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, who supports raising Pennsylvania's minimum wage. Including Pennsylvania, 20 states have minimum wages equal to the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour. But most are in the south or mountain west; New Hampshire is the only northeastern state aside from Pennsylvania with a $7.25 hourly minimum wage. Minimum wages among states bordering Pennsylvania range from $8.75 in West Virginia to $15.50 in New York. Among all states and territories, Washington, D.C.'s $17.50 hourly minimum is highest, followed by California's $16.50. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs 28 bills into law
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed 28 bills into law on Tuesday. The bills that are now law cover a range of issues, including state employee pay, cybersecurity, abortion, human trafficking, social studies teaching and bumper heights. STATE EMPLOYEE PAY Senate Bill 392 is a 122-page document clarifying provisions for state employees, such as student loans, and setting pay schedules for state employees by classification. The bill also tweaks specific employee titles and circumstances for special pay rates, such as appointments by the governor. CYBERSECURITY House Bill 1549 establishes the State Cybersecurity Office and outlines its duties and powers. The agency will be charged with auditing state computer networks and responding to threats. It will also coordinate with federal cybersecurity officials and be a resource for local, state, and federal agencies. ABORTION House Bill 1551 makes tricking someone into taking an abortion-inducing drug a felony of criminal abortion. An exception is made for treatments, including medicines, that increase the risk of miscarriage but were done to treat a condition. HUMAN TRAFFICKING House Bill 1474 mandates that certain establishments must have a poster giving information about the national human trafficking hotline. Mandated establishments are hotels or motels that have been cited for prostitution, strip clubs, private liquor-only clubs, airports, train stations, bus stations, any place that provides food, fuel, showers and overnight parking and, finally, nail salons. The National Human Trafficking Hotline is 888-373-7888. SOCIAL STUDIES House Bill 1705 requires the Board of Education to add 'information that addresses the founding of the United States, including the founding fathers and their religious and moral beliefs and how their religious and moral beliefs influenced the founding documents of the United States.' The act continues to mandate teaching 'How the religious and moral beliefs of the founding fathers influenced the founding of the United States and documents and concepts relevant to the founding fathers' religious and moral beliefs.' It will go into effect for the 2026-2027 school year. BUMPER HEIGHT Senate Bill 411 makes it illegal to drive a motor vehicle modified to where the front bumper is 4 inches higher than the rear bumper. Penalties are $250 for the first offense, $500 for the second offense, and fines plus a 12-month driver's license suspension for the third and subsequent offenses. The governor has signed 499 bills into law during this legislative session. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trio of bills addresses justice reform, crowded North Dakota jails
Exterior of the North Dakota State Penitentiary on Feb. 4, 2025. Bills under consideration by state lawmakers aim to address crowding at state prisons and jails. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) When parole and probation officers have to try to collect fees from people on supervised release, 'it puts both parties in a difficult situation,' said Colby Braun, director of the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Eliminating those fees, and the time and effort that goes into collecting them, has been identified as one way to help keep low-level criminals out of North Dakota's crowded jails and prison system. Lawmakers on Wednesday heard from Braun and others advocating for three bills addressing jail overcrowding and keeping people from getting caught in a revolving door of legal trouble. House Bill 1425 focuses on diversion and deflection, keeping people out of jail with mental health and substance abuse service. It would establish a pilot program in three counties. House Bill 1417 would eliminate fees for people on supervised release. Not paying those fees can lead to a return to jail. The fees are also seen as a burden for low-income people. House Bill 1549 would create a grant program for local jails for programs that help people adjust after being released from jail, referred to as reentry. It would also study barriers to reentry, such as housing, access to Medicaid, and maintaining a valid driver's license or getting some other identification. It would also study why Blacks and Native Americans are incarcerated at higher rates than other populations. 'As a package, these proposals promote public safety through an intentional focus on reentry, recovery and rehabilitation that will improve the lives of people exiting the justice system and reduce the likelihood that they find their way back into the system,' Rep. Lawrence Klemin, R-Bismarck, the sponsor of the bills, told the House Judiciary Committee. 'This is a better use of our tax dollars, correctional space and the smart approach to maintaining public safety in our state.' The bills address issues identified by a Reentry Study Work Group. They also address the lack of beds available in North Dakota jails, which also is in need of a short-term fix, Gov. Kelly Armstrong has said. Armstrong, a former defense attorney, also voiced support during his budget address for investments in behavioral health and other steps to reduce reliance on jails and prisons. In committee work later Wednesday, Rep. Jeff Hoverson, R-Minot, spoke against all three bills. 'If we continue to think that the government is the answer to behavioral health, we're going to be going down into a bottomless pit,' Hoverson said. The Judiciary Committee did not act on the bills, with Klemin indicating the committee will take them up Monday. Monday is the deadline for House committees to act on bills that must go to the Appropriations Committee. The bill on fees removes a $55 per month supervision fee charged to people on supervised release. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation bills about $6 million in supervision fees per biennium, with a collection rate of only about 25%. Braun said that does account for the time officers spend trying to collect fees. 'There's no bang for the buck,' Braun said. He said being able to provide positive reinforcement with people is much more effective. Sister Kathleen Atkinson, who operates Ministry on the Margins in Bismarck, said some people will choose going back to jail and using state resources rather than paying fees. The diversion bill would allow state's attorneys in each county to create their own program that could lead to the dismissal of charges if a defendant uses mental health or substance abuse treatment. While not specified in the bill, Klemin said it is intended for low-level charges. Legislative hearing at North Dakota State Penitentiary highlights rehabilitation programs The bill also calls for a pilot project in three counties, to be determined later, working with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 'Pick me,' Cass County State's Attorney Kim Hegvik said Wednesday, testifying in favor of the bill. Hegvik said Cass County had a diversion program but did not have the resources to provide the supervision that people in the program needed. 'This is a great place to spend our resources,' she said. There was no negative testimony presented Wednesday, but there was opposition testimony submitted by Ward County State's Attorney Rozanna Larson. She said she feared the bill would not provide the mental health support that many people need and instead create more work for prosecutors and law enforcement. The bill would also study the effectiveness of pretrial services, which Larson said is not meeting expectations. The reentry study would include looking at programs specifically designed for Native Americans and drawing on Native culture. Braun noted the implementation of Akisni Warrior Lodge program targeted at Natives at the James River Correctional Center as an example. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
