BILL NUMBER: S5198

SPONSOR: SANDERS
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the labor law, in relation to authorizing local govern-
ments to pay higher level of minimum wage benefits

 
PURPOSE:

To allow municipalities, including villages, cities and counties, to
enact local minimum wages that are above the state minimum wage.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

1. Amends section 666 of the Labor Law to remove any prohibition against
local governments promulgating or enacting a minimum wage in such juris-
diction that is higher than the New York State minimum wage.

2. This act shall take effect immediately.

              

 
EXISTING LAW:

None

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York State is a vast state. Given the substantial differences in
housing and living costs across the state, a single minimum wage for the
entire state makes little sense. Workers need to earn much more to live
in New York City than other areas of the state. Meanwhile, the cost of
living in Buffalo may be different than the cost of living in Watertown
and the cost of living on Long Island may be different than the cost of
living in the Finger Lakes region. This bill will allow local govern-
ments to decide for themselves what the minimum wage should be in their
particular community. It would seem more likely that the representatives
of each locality would better understand the economies of their partic-
ular locality and be able to increase their local minimum wage if bene-
ficial.

Under this bill, each locality would be able to promulgate or enact a
local minimum wage that is higher than the state minimum wage.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

02/17/15 Referred to Labor
01/06/16 Referred to Labor

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None

 
LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.