Bill Text: NJ SR29 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Memorializes President and Congress to increase federal minimum wage.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-02-16 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Labor Committee [SR29 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-SR29-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
Memorializes President and Congress to increase federal minimum wage.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Senate Resolution memorializing the President and Congress to enact legislation to increase the federal minimum wage.
Whereas, The current federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour has been in effect since July 24, 2009; and
Whereas, Despite this relatively recent increase in the minimum wage, workers who earn the minimum wage continue to struggle to cope with cost of living increases; and
Whereas, While wages for America's workers have remained stagnant since the "Great Recession," there has been a significant increase in the number of low-wage occupations, thereby accelerating a shift in the United States economy toward lower paying jobs; and
Whereas, The current federal minimum wage translates to just over $15,000 per year for a full-time worker, an amount far below the federal poverty threshold for most families; and
Whereas, The minimum wage of $1.60 per hour in 1968 would be $10.94 per hour today, when adjusted for inflation, if it had kept pace with the cost of living over the past 47 years; and
Whereas, Congress has passed legislation to increase the minimum wage only three times in the last 35 years; and
Whereas, According to a July, 2013 public opinion poll, 80 percent of Americans support raising the federal minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to more than $10.00 per hour; and
Whereas, Many studies of the effect of minimum wage increases over the past 20 years show no significant reduction in employment or decrease in job growth when the minimum wage is increased; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
1. The President and Congress of the United States are respectfully memorialized to enact legislation to increase the federal minimum wage by an amount which is at least sufficient to ensure that full-time workers will attain earning levels above the federal poverty threshold.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the President and Vice President of the United States, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the majority and minority leaders of both the United States Senate and House of Representatives, and every member of Congress elected from this State.
STATEMENT
This resolution memorializes the President and Congress of the United States to enact legislation to increase the federal minimum wage in an amount which is at least sufficient to ensure that full-time workers will attain earning levels above the federal poverty threshold.
