Bill Text: PA HB1032 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requiring economic development subsidy recipients to meet minimum standards for job quality.

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 15-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-03-19 - Referred to LABOR RELATIONS [HB1032 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HB1032-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 1189
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1032 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY COHEN, LEVDANSKY, PRESTON, JOSEPHS, MUNDY, BRENNAN, CASORIO, YOUNGBLOOD, WALKO, K. SMITH, HORNAMAN, M. O'BRIEN, PARKER AND PASHINSKI, MARCH 19, 2009
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LABOR RELATIONS, MARCH 19, 2009
AN ACT
Requiring economic development subsidy recipients to meet
minimum standards for job quality.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Minimum
Standards for Subsidized Jobs Act.
Section 2. Purpose of act.
The purpose of this act is to improve the effectiveness of
economic development expenditures, take pressure off State
social service programs and improve the public health and
welfare by ensuring that major State subsidies are used to
support adequate living standards for working families.
Section 3. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Economic development subsidy." Any expenditure of public
funds with a value of at least $100,000 for the purpose of
stimulating economic development within this Commonwealth,
including, but not limited to, bonds, grants, loans, loan
guarantees, enterprise zones, empowerment zones, tax increment
financing, fee waivers, land price subsidies, matching funds,
tax abatements, tax exemptions and tax credits.
"Secretary." The Secretary of Labor and Industry of the
Commonwealth or the secretary's designee.
Section 4. Minimum standards for wages and benefits.
(a) Eligibility.--No person, association, corporation or
other entity shall be eligible to receive any economic
development subsidy unless that entity:
(1) Pays all its employees in this Commonwealth a
minimum wage that is at least one dollar per hour higher than
the required Federal or State minimum wage.
(2) Offers to all its employees in this Commonwealth who
work at least 35 hours per week a health insurance benefits
plan for which the employer pays at least 80% of the monthly
premium and the coverage pays at least 80% of the costs of
physician office visits, emergency care, surgery and
prescriptions with an annual deductible of no more than
$1,000.
(3) Offers a worker training program that meets minimum
standards issued by the secretary to at least 20% of its
workers in this Commonwealth.
(4) Has not been adjudicated to be in violation of any
Federal, State or local laws during the prior five years.
(b) Exclusion.--The provisions of this act do not apply to:
(1) A not-for-profit entity that is exempt from
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taxation.
(2) An intern or trainee who is under 21 years of age
and who is employed for a period of not longer than three
months.
(c) Waivers.--If the secretary determines that application
of this section would conflict with a Federal program
requirement, the secretary, after notice and public hearing, may
grant a waiver from the requirements of this act.
Section 5. Enforcement.
(a) Rules and regulations.--The secretary shall promulgate
such regulations as are necessary to implement and administer
compliance with this act.
(b) Retribution.--No person, association, corporation or
other entity shall discharge, demote, harass or otherwise take
adverse actions against any individual because such individual
seeks the enforcement of this section, or testifies, assists or
participates in any manner in an investigation, hearing or other
proceeding to enforce this act.
(c) Circumvention prohibited.--No entity shall pay an
employee through a third party or treat an employee as a
subcontractor or independent contractor to avoid the
requirements of this act.
Section 6. Effective date.
This act shall take effect January 1, 2010.
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