Bill Text: PA HB1561 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Providing for referendum on annual cost-of-living increase in minimum wage.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-05-29 - Referred to LABOR RELATIONS [HB1561 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HB1561-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 1936
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1561 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY GIBBONS, BELFANTI, BRENNAN, CALTAGIRONE, JOSEPHS, McGEEHAN, SIPTROTH, STURLA AND J. TAYLOR, MAY 29, 2009
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LABOR RELATIONS, MAY 29, 2009
AN ACT
Amending the act of January 17, 1968 (P.L.11, No.5), entitled
"An act establishing a fixed minimum wage and overtime rates
for employes, 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," providing for referendum on annual cost-of-living
increase in minimum wage.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of January 17, 1968 (P.L.11, No.5), known
as The Minimum Wage Act of 1968, is amended by adding a section
to read:
Section 5.2. Referendum Authorized.--(a) A Statewide
referendum shall be held to authorize an annual cost-of-living
increase for employees who are paid the minimum wage.
(b) The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall submit the
referendum to the qualified electors of this Commonwealth at the
general election of 2010, in accordance with the procedures of
the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the
"Pennsylvania Election Code."
(c) The referendum question shall be in the following form:
Shall the minimum wage paid in Pennsylvania be increased
each January 1 by applying the percentage change in the
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland for the
most recent year reported sixty days prior to the date of
the wage adjustment, as reported by the United States
Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics?
(d) The Department of State shall draft a nonlegal
interpretative statement that shall accompany the referendum
question in accordance with section 201.1 of the "Pennsylvania
Election Code."
(e) The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall certify the
results of the referendum in accordance with the "Pennsylvania
Election Code."
(f) Approval of the referendum required under this section
shall be by a majority vote of the electors voting on the
question.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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