House File 2403 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY COMMITTEE ON LABOR
(SUCCESSOR TO HF 675)
(SUCCESSOR TO HF 313)
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to the establishment of a study of the economic,
2 fiscal, and social impact of the living wage in Iowa.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
4 TLSB 6538HZ 82
5 ak/nh/8
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. LIVING WAGE IMPACT STUDY.
1 2 1. If funding is approved or appropriated to the state
1 3 board of regents for such purposes, Iowa state university
1 4 shall conduct a study regarding the economic, fiscal, and
1 5 social impacts of establishing the living wage, also known as
1 6 the self=sufficiency wage, in Iowa. The living wage in the
1 7 study shall be based on a forty=hour work week, and the study
1 8 shall provide all of the following:
1 9 a. A two=tiered living wage, one tier with benefits and
1 10 one without benefits, for family sizes ranging from two people
1 11 to six people for all ninety=nine counties.
1 12 b. The impact that a living wage would have on full=time
1 13 workers, the multiplier effect of a living wage on the
1 14 economy, and whether more jobs would be created by this
1 15 multiplier effect.
1 16 c. How a living wage would impact public assistance
1 17 programs, particularly whether it would reduce costs.
1 18 d. How a living wage would impact state and local economic
1 19 development programs.
1 20 e. How a living wage would assist or hinder the housing
1 21 market.
1 22 f. Taking into account paragraphs "b", "c", "d", and "e",
1 23 examine whether there would be an overall positive impact on
1 24 the economy considering possible business concerns of
1 25 inflation and job loss.
1 26 g. Evaluate other states or metropolitan areas that have a
1 27 living wage to provide examples of how a living wage could be
1 28 implemented on a phased=in basis for all workers in this
1 29 state, including the private and public sectors.
1 30 h. Any other recommendations that the individuals assigned
1 31 to the study believe are relevant to establishing a living
1 32 wage in this state.
1 33 2. An Iowa state university sociology professor, an Iowa
1 34 state university human development and family studies
1 35 professor, and an Iowa state university economics professor,
2 1 all who specialize in this area, shall conduct and coordinate
2 2 the study.
2 3 3. The department of workforce development, the department
2 4 of economic development, the department of human services, the
2 5 university of Iowa, the university of northern Iowa, the child
2 6 and family policy center, the Iowa policy project, and
2 7 representatives of labor organizations and associations
2 8 representing business and industry shall cooperate in
2 9 conducting the study.
2 10 4. Iowa state university shall submit a report about the
2 11 findings of the study to the general assembly by December 14,
2 12 2008.
2 13 EXPLANATION
2 14 This bill directs Iowa state university, contingent upon
2 15 funding, to conduct a study regarding the economic, fiscal,
2 16 and social effects that a living wage, or self=sufficiency
2 17 wage, would have in Iowa. The bill details the criteria that
2 18 the study must include. Three Iowa state university
2 19 professors with specialized knowledge in this area shall
2 20 conduct and coordinate the study.
2 21 The bill requires that the department of workforce
2 22 development, department of economic development, department of
2 23 human resources, the university of Iowa, the university of
2 24 northern Iowa, the child and family policy center, the Iowa
2 25 policy project, and representatives of labor organizations and
2 26 business and industry associations also participate in the
2 27 study.
2 28 A report on the study's findings is due to the legislature
2 29 by December 14, 2008.
2 30 LSB 6538HZ 82
2 31 ak/nh/8