House File 75 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 75 BY HUNTER A BILL FOR An Act relating to a study of the economic, fiscal, and social 1 impact of the living wage in Iowa. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1939YH (1) 87 je/nh
H.F. 75 Section 1. LIVING WAGE IMPACT STUDY. 1 1. If funding is approved or appropriated to the state 2 board of regents for such purposes, Iowa state university 3 shall conduct a study regarding the economic, fiscal, and 4 social impacts of establishing a living wage, also known as a 5 self-sufficiency wage, in Iowa. The living wage in the study 6 shall be based on a 40-hour work week, and the study shall 7 include all of the following: 8 a. A proposal for a two-tiered living wage, one tier with 9 benefits and one without benefits, for family sizes ranging 10 from two people to six people for all 99 counties. 11 b. An evaluation of the impact that a living wage would have 12 on full-time workers, the multiplier effect of a living wage 13 on the economy, and whether more jobs would be created by this 14 multiplier effect. 15 c. How a living wage would impact public assistance 16 programs, particularly whether it would reduce costs. 17 d. How a living wage would impact state and local economic 18 development programs. 19 e. How a living wage would assist or hinder the housing 20 market. 21 f. Taking into account paragraphs “b”, “c”, “d”, and “e”, 22 an examination of whether there would be an overall positive 23 impact on the economy considering possible business concerns of 24 inflation and job loss. 25 g. An evaluation of other states or metropolitan areas that 26 have a living wage to provide examples of how a living wage 27 could be implemented on a phased-in basis for all workers in 28 this state, including the private and public sectors. 29 h. Any other recommendations that the persons conducting 30 the study believe are relevant to establishing a living wage 31 in this state. 32 2. An Iowa state university sociology professor, an 33 Iowa state university human development and family studies 34 professor, and an Iowa state university economics professor, 35 -1- LSB 1939YH (1) 87 je/nh 1/ 2
H.F. 75 all who specialize in this area, shall conduct and coordinate 1 the study. 2 3. The department of workforce development, the economic 3 development authority, the department of human services, the 4 university of Iowa, the university of northern Iowa, the 5 child and family policy center, the Iowa policy project, 6 and representatives of labor organizations and associations 7 representing business and industry shall cooperate in 8 conducting the study. 9 4. Iowa state university shall submit a report regarding the 10 findings of the study to the general assembly by December 29, 11 2017. 12 EXPLANATION 13 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 14 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 15 This bill directs Iowa state university, contingent upon 16 funding, to conduct a study regarding the economic, fiscal, and 17 social effects that a living wage, or self-sufficiency wage, 18 would have in Iowa. The bill details the criteria that the 19 study must include. Three Iowa state university professors 20 with specialized knowledge in this area shall conduct and 21 coordinate the study. 22 The bill requires that the department of workforce 23 development, the economic development authority, the department 24 of human resources, the university of Iowa, the university of 25 northern Iowa, the child and family policy center, the Iowa 26 policy project, and representatives of labor organizations and 27 business and industry associations also participate in the 28 study. 29 A report on the study’s findings is due to the legislature by 30 December 29, 2017. 31 -2- LSB 1939YH (1) 87 je/nh 2/ 2