SB 582 - In order to prevent the curtailment of employment opportunities for disabled persons working at sheltered workshops, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shall permit sheltered workshops to pay such disabled persons commensurate wages, defined as wages based on the disabled person's productivity in proportion to the productivity of an experienced non-disabled person in a similar job and that may be lower than the state minimum wage. The sheltered workshop shall provide written assurance to the Department that such wages shall be reviewed and adjusted periodically and no sheltered workshop shall be permitted to reduce the agreed-upon wage rate for a period of two years after approval without prior authorization from the Department.

SARAH HASKINS