REPORT TITLE:
Minimum Wage


DESCRIPTION:
Raises minimum wage to $7.50 on 7/1/2000, $8.50 on 7/1/2001, and
$9.50 on 7/1/2002.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           2230
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO MINIMUM WAGE. 


BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the State's current
 
 2 minimum wage of $5.25 per hour is woefully inadequate in Hawaii's
 
 3 high cost of living climate.  The low minimum wage causes:
 
 4      (1)  Economic hardship for entry level and unskilled workers
 
 5           who most need a better income and better life;
 
 6      (2)  Workers to take two or more jobs to make ends meet; 
 
 7      (2)  A proliferation of part-time workers who do not qualify
 
 8           for prepaid health benefits; and
 
 9      (3)  Lesser amounts of potential income tax revenues for the
 
10           State.
 
11      The legislature further finds that the State's economy shows
 
12 signs of gradual improvement and businesses should be able to
 
13 afford a rise in the minimum wage.
 
14      The purpose of this Act is to increase the State's minimum
 
15 wage.
 
16      SECTION 2.  Section 387-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
17 amended to read as follows:
 
18      "�387-2 Minimum wages.  Except as provided in section 387-9
 
19 and this section, every employer shall pay to each employee
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           2230
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 employed by the employer wages at the rate of not less than
 
 2 [$3.85 per hour beginning January 1, 1988, $4.75 per hour
 
 3 beginning April 1, 1992, and]:
 
 4      (1)  $5.25 per hour beginning January 1, 1993[.];
 
 5      (2)  $7.50 per hour beginning July 1, 2000;
 
 6      (3)  $8.50 per hour beginning July 1, 2001; and
 
 7      (4)  $9.50 per hour beginning July 1, 2002.
 
 8 The hourly wage of a tipped employee may be deemed to be
 
 9 increased on account of tips if the employee is paid not less
 
10 than twenty cents below the applicable minimum wage by the
 
11 employee's employer and the combined amount the employee receives
 
12 from the employee's employer and in tips is at least fifty cents
 
13 more than the applicable minimum wage."
 
14      SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed.
 
15 New statutory material is underscored.
 
16      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2000.
 
17 
 
18                       INTRODUCED BY:  ___________________________