Protect Local Farms Act This bill preempts state laws that provide for a maximum workweek of less than 60 hours for agricultural employees. Under federal law, agricultural employees are generally exempt from maximum hours (i.e., overtime) requirements.
Impact
This bill, if enacted, would significantly impact state labor laws, particularly those concerning agricultural workers. Currently, various states may impose stricter workweek limits which can hinder agricultural operations that often require long hours to meet demand. By preempting these state laws, HB353 would enable farmers to operate under the more lenient federal guidelines which allow for longer working hours, thereby promoting economic efficiency within the agriculture sector.
Summary
House Bill 353, titled the 'Protect Local Farms Act,' seeks to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 by preempting certain state laws that establish a maximum workweek of less than 60 hours for agricultural employees. The bill aims to eliminate state restrictions on the working hours of agricultural workers, effectively allowing employers in this sector to have more flexibility regarding the scheduling and hours worked by their employees. By doing so, it aims to reduce regulatory burdens on the agricultural industry and promote its growth and viability.
Contention
Notably, the proposed legislation has generated debate regarding worker protections versus agricultural productivity. Proponents argue that relaxing these regulations is necessary to support farmers and maintain competitive agricultural production, especially in regions where longer working hours are customary during peak seasons. However, opponents raise concerns that the bill undermines state authority to protect labor rights and could lead to exploitation of agricultural employees by subjecting them to excessively long working hours without proper overtime compensation.
Protect Local Farms ActThis bill provides that the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) preempts any state law that establishes a maximum workweek (i.e., the maximum number of hours an employee is permitted to work without receiving overtime pay) of less than 60 hours for agricultural employees. Under the FLSA, agricultural employees are generally exempt from federal overtime requirements. However, federal overtime requirements currently do not preempt state laws that provide greater protections to employees.
A bill to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to exempt certain employees engaged in outdoor recreational outfitting or guiding services from maximum hours requirements.
Patrick Underwood Federal Law Enforcement Protection Act of 2023 This bill revises the federal criminal statute that prohibits assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain federal officers or employees. Among other changes, the bill increases the applicable penalties for such offenses.
Original Living Wage Act This bill increases the federal minimum wage to the minimum hourly wage sufficient for a person working for 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year, to earn an annual income 25.5% higher than the federal poverty threshold for a four-person household, with two children under age 18, and living in the 48 contiguous states. (Under current poverty thresholds, the national minimum wage would be set at approximately $15.64 per hour.) The Department of Labor must determine the minimum wage rate by June 1, 2023, and review it every four years. Labor may not adjust the minimum wage to a lower rate.
Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act This bill establishes a federal statutory framework to regulate the carry or possession of concealed firearms across state lines. Specifically, an individual who is eligible to carry a concealed firearm in one state may carry or possess a concealed handgun (other than a machine gun or destructive device) in another state that allows its residents to carry concealed firearms. It sets forth requirements for the lawful concealed carry across state lines. The bill preempts most state and local laws related to concealed carry and establishes a private right of action for a person adversely affected by interference with a concealed-carry right established by this bill.