Preemption Bill is a Bad Deal for Minnesotans
A bill that strips power away from local governments passed the Senate on Thursday by a thin party-line vote.
I am strongly opposed to this legislation because it takes away local control from our communities and strikes down worker protections and benefits for 150,000 hardworking Minnesotans. The preemption measure bans local employment regulations on minimum wage, unpaid leave and scheduling requirements. The state legislature’s job is to set minimum standards, not maximum standards. We should not be restricting the authority of local governments to implement what is best for their communities. This bill strips away local decision making power and will hurt working families.
As a former Coon Rapids City Council Member, I have always been a strong supporter of local control. I worked tirelessly in my local communities on initiatives that supported residents, businesses and workers. This type of legislation undermines the work of local governments across the state and I cannot support it.
Background
The bill, called the Uniform State Labor Standards Act, is part of a national narrative put forth by the Chamber of Commerce and ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) to attack workers and the autonomy of our locally elected officials.
The bill would prohibit the enactment of labor compensation/benefits at the local level. As written, the bill has three core components that prohibit local governments from:
- Establishing a minimum wage
- Requiring businesses to provide sick and safe time
- Establishing rules relative to benefits, terms of employment, or working conditions
- The effective date would make the bill retroactive for ordinances that were enacted on or after January 1, 2016
If you have any questions or wish to unsubscribe from this Newsletter please feel free to contact my office at 651-296-2556 or by email at sen.jerry.newton@senate.mn.
Thank you and have a great weekend,
Jerry Newton
State Senator
District 37