DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law
or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 677 Original 2015 Regular Session Hunter
Abstract: Establishes a state minimum wage and repeals the prohibition on local variation in
legally required minimum wage rates and local mandates on vacation or sick leave.
Proposed law provides definitions, including the definition of "employee" for purposes of proposed
law to include incarcerated workers.
Proposed law creates a state minimum wage and sets it at $7.25 per hour effective Jan. 1, 2016.
Present law (federal law) provides that the minimum wage rate for tipped employees is $2.13 per
hour direct wages and that the employee's tips may be used to make up the difference between the
tipped employee minimum wage rate of $2.13 per hour and the minimum wage rate of $7.25 per
hour.
Proposed law raises the minimum wage to $5.25 per hour effective Jan. 1, 2016 and to $7.25 per
hour effective Jan. 1, 2017 for tipped employees.
Proposed law requires that if the federal minimum wage is raised, the state minimum wage shall also
be raised.
Proposed law provides that an employer who fails to pay his employee the state minimum wage is
liable to the employee for 90 days wages as well as the difference between what the employee was
paid and minimum wage he was owed and reasonable attorney fees.
Proposed law excludes student workers employed with the state and with state colleges and
universities from the minimum wage requirement.
Present law prohibits local variation in legally required minimum wage rates and local mandates on
vacation or sick leave.
Proposed law repeals present law.
(Adds R.S. 23:671-675; Repeals R.S. 23:642)