HB 0321 2003
1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to local government; prohibiting local
3	governments from requiring employers to pay a minimum wage
4	in excess of the federal minimum wage; providing
5	exceptions; providing an effective date.
6
7	WHEREAS, promoting the economic growth and prosperity of
8	its citizens is among the most important responsibilities of the
9	state, and
10	WHEREAS, this economic growth and prosperity depends upon
11	maintaining a stable business climate that will attract new
12	employers to the state and allow existing employers to grow, and
13	WHEREAS, with regard to worker wages, federal minimum wage
14	provisions strike the necessary balance between the interests of
15	workers and their employers, and
16	WHEREAS, allowing each local government to establish
17	minimum wage levels in their individual jurisdictions higher
18	than those required by federal law would threaten to drive
19	businesses out of these communities and out of the state in
20	search of a more favorable and uniform business environment, and
21	WHEREAS, higher minimum wage standards differing from one
22	locale to another would encourage residents to conduct their
23	business in jurisdictions where wage costs, and hence prices,
24	are lower, and
25	WHEREAS, such artificial constraints would disrupt
26	Florida's economy and threaten the public welfare, NOW,
27	THEREFORE,
28
29	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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31	Section 1.(1) As used in this section, the term:
32	(a) "Federal minimum wage" means a minimum wage required
33	under federal law, including the federal Fair Labor Standards
34	Act of 1938, as amended, 29 U.S.C. ss. 201 et seq.
35	(b) "Minimum wage" means a minimum rate of compensation
36	for employment.
37	(c) "Political subdivision" means a county, municipality,
38	department, commission, district, board, or other public body,
39	whether corporate or otherwise, created by or under state law.
40	(2) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3), no
41	political subdivision may establish, mandate, or otherwise
42	require an employer to pay a minimum wage, other than a federal
43	minimum wage, or to apply a federal minimum wage to wages exempt
44	from such a federal minimum wage.
45	(3) This section does not limit the authority of a
46	political subdivision to establish a minimum wage other than a
47	federal minimum wage:
48	(a) For the employees of the political subdivision;
49	(b) For the employees of an employer contracting to
50	provide goods or services for the political subdivision, or for
51	the employees of a subcontractor of such an employer, under the
52	terms of a contract with the political subdivision; or
53	(c) For the employees of an employer receiving a direct
54	tax abatement or subsidy from the political subdivision, as a
55	condition of the direct tax abatement or subsidy.
56	Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.
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