SLS 19RS-317 ORIGINAL
2019 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 60
BY SENATOR CARTER
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
EMPLOYMENT. Constitutional amendment to provide, with certain exceptions, for a state
minimum wage effective August 1, 2020. (2/3 - CA13s1(A))
1 AN ACT
2 Proposing to add Article XII, Section 17 of the Constitution of Louisiana, relative to the
3 establishment of a state minimum wage; to provide relative to employers with fifty
4 full-time employees or more; to provide for a minimum hourly wage; to provide
5 relative to employees eighteen years of age and older; to provide that the legislature
6 shall provide for certain definitions and exemptions; to provide relative to certain
7 student employees; to provide relative to certain tip credits available to employers;
8 and to specify an election for submission of the proposition to electors and provide
9 a ballot proposition.
10 Section 1. Be it resolved by the Legislature of Louisiana, two-thirds of the members
11 elected to each house concurring, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the state, for
12 their approval or rejection in the manner provided by law, a proposal to add Article XII,
13 Section 17 of the Constitution of Louisiana, to read as follows:
14 ยง17. State Minimum Hourly Wage
15 Section 17. Every employer with fifty or more full-time employees shall
16 pay each employee eighteen years or older wages which are equal to the state's
17 minimum wage. The hourly rate of the state minimum wage will never be a rate
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 60
SLS 19RS-317 ORIGINAL
1 lower than the federal minimum wage.
2 Beginning August 1, 2020, the state minimum wage shall be not less than
3 nine dollars per hour or the federal minimum wage, whichever is higher. Each
4 subsequent year, the state minimum wage shall be adjusted for inflation;
5 therefore, beginning August 1, 2021, the amount of the state minimum wage
6 shall be the amount which equals the state minimum wage which was in effect
7 on August 1, 2020 but which amount is adjusted for inflation or the federal
8 minimum wage, whichever is higher.
9 The legislature shall provide for definitions and for certain exemptions
10 from the minimum wage requirement to include but not be limited to bona fide
11 student employees and allowing an employer to take a tip credit toward its
12 minimum wage obligation for tipped employees equal to the difference between
13 the required cash wage and the required minimum wage.
14 Section 2. Be it further resolved that this proposed amendment shall be submitted
15 to the electors of the state of Louisiana at the statewide election to be held on October 12,
16 2019.
17 Section 3. Be it further resolved that on the official ballot to be used at said election
18 there shall be printed a proposition, upon which the electors of the state shall be permitted
19 to vote YES or NO, to amend the Constitution of Louisiana, which proposition shall read as
20 follows:
21 Do you support an amendment to establish a state minimum wage which
22 would require every employer with fifty or more employees to pay each
23 employee eighteen years or older a minimum hourly wage of nine dollars
24 beginning August 1, 2020, adjusted annually for inflation, or the federal
25 minimum wage, whichever is higher?
26 (Adds Article XII, Sec. 17)
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 60
SLS 19RS-317 ORIGINAL
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Carla S. Roberts.
DIGEST
SB 60 Original 2019 Regular Session Carter
Proposed constitutional amendment establishes a state minimum wage.
Proposed constitutional amendment provides that, effective Aug. 1, 2020, every employer
with 50 or more full-time employees shall pay to each employee 18 years of age and older
the state minimum wage which is not less than $9.00 per hour.
Proposed constitutional amendment provides that, for each year after Aug. 1, 2020, the state
minimum wage shall be adjusted annually for inflation and the rate shall be the adjusted rate
or the federal minimum wage, whichever is higher.
Proposed constitutional amendment further provides that the legislature shall provide for
definitions and for certain exemptions from the minimum wage requirement to include but
not be limited to bona fide student employees and allowing an employer to take a tip credit
toward its minimum wage obligation for tipped employees equal to the difference between
the required cash wage and the required minimum wage.
Specifies submission of the amendment to the voters at the statewide election to be held on
Oct. 12, 2019.
(Adds Const. Art. XII, Sec. 17)
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.