Senate Panel Advances Uniform State Labor Standards Bill

A bill that would override local government's current authority to set local labor standards, such as requiring private employers to pay a specific minimum wage, gained the approval of the Senate Jobs and Economic Growth Committee Monday, January 6. Sponsored by Senator Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, the bill would prohibit local governments from establishing a minimum wage, setting paid or unpaid leave requirements and dictating benefits.

Erik Forsberg, a small business owner, spoke in support of the measure. "Let's do something that is a standardized rule, that is a statewide rule, that doesn't tear away the fabric of this state, that is creating city fiefdoms, that are creating their own rules to make a statement. We are the State of Minnesota. We are a unified state," he said.

Speaking in opposition to the bill, Todd Mikkelson, a small business owner, said, "Small business owners often work with city officials to adjust laws and local ordinances to become the best fit for our local areas. It's these adjustments that often shape state and national policies to be better as well."