Amendment ID: S1925-14-R1

Redraft Amendment 14

Minimum Wage Reform

Messrs. Tarr and Ross move to amend the bill by striking all after the enacting clause and inserting in place thereof the following:-

“SECTION 1. Section 1 of chapter 151 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2012 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 5, the figure “8.00” and inserting in place thereof the following figure :- 8.75.

SECTION 2. Said section 1 of said chapter 151 is hereby further amended by striking out the figure “8.75”, inserted by section 1, and inserting in place thereof the following figure :- 9.50

SECTION 3. Said section 1 of said chapter 151, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out, in line 12, the figure “.10” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:-.50

SECTION 4. The minimum wage shall be reviewed every two years beginning July 1, 2016, by the secretary of administration and finance, in consultation with the secretary of housing and economic development, and the secretary of labor and workforce development, to recommend to the governor and the General Court any changes to the minimum wage, effective January 1st. Such recommendations shall consider but not be limited to the following factors: the rate of inflation, the minimum wage in other states, the commonwealth’s competitiveness, the status of the commonwealth’s labor market, commonwealth’s teen unemployment, success of increasing minimum wage in helping the target population and there shall be at least 3 public hearings held in various geographic regions in the commonwealth.

SECTION 5. Following any increase in the minimum wage the secretary of labor and workforce development shall report on the impact of said increase on employment in the commonwealth, impacts on businesses, particularly small businesses in the commonwealth, and success of increasing the minimum wage in helping the target population.  Said report shall be submitted to the clerks of the house and senate, and the joint committee on labor and workforce development within one year of an increase in the minimum wage.

SECTION 6. The commissioner of the department of revenue in consultation with the secretary of administration and finance, the secretary of housing and economic development, and the secretary of labor and workforce development shall examine the feasibility of expanding the earned income tax credit as established in section 6 (h) of Chapter 62 in lieu of future increases to the minimum wage. The report along with any recommendations shall be filed with the clerks of the house and senate, the joint committee on revenue, the joint committee on labor and workforce development, and the joint committee on ways and means by December 31, 2015.

SECTION 7. Sections 1 and 3 shall take effect on April 1, 2014.

SECTION 8. Section 2 shall take effect on April 1, 2015