Politics
Proposal to let workers opt out of minimum wage gains momentum
A bill to create a sub-minimum wage cleared a second House panel with a 12-4 party-line vote.
In presenting the bill (HB 541), Republican Rep. Ryan Chamberlin argued that an unintended consequence of Florida’s minimum wage is that employers cannot afford to pay unskilled workers for pre-apprenticeships and other education.
“This, I believe, is having a huge impact on young people,” Chamberlin said during the House Careers and Workforce Subcommittee. “Should they choose, this bill will allow an employee to waive the right to minimum wage if he or she is receiving other value in an internship, pre-apprenticeship or on the job workforce training.”
The Senate version of the bill (SB 676) also advanced through Tuesday’s Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee with a 5-1 vote.
But Rich Templin, director of politics and public policy with the Florida AFL-CIO, warned that the legislation is poorly defined, and employers could take advantage of it.
“Let’s say that a McDonald’s franchise owner owns 10 restaurants. That individual would be able to simply call something an internship for every single employee, and then say, ‘If you want to work here, you need to sign this waiver to work for $6.16 an hour,’” Templin said. “I do not believe that is the sponsor’s intent, but that is what will happen if this bill passes as is, since we’re reaching the midpoint of the Session.”
In defense, Chamberlin argued that the bill is not meant to be a long-term situation and would only allow employees to get a minimum wage exception waiver that’s good for 12 months.
He explained who he thought would want to voluntarily get paid less.
“They see an opportunity to gain some experience that they otherwise would not be able to gain that would further them and even jump them way past hopefully minimum wage in the near future,” he said.
Democratic Rep. Mitch Rosenwald asked about the state’s oversight and worried if older employers could coerce younger employees to get paid less.
Chamberlin admitted the state cannot monitor employers but argued that “the limits of the 12 months certainly put a time limit on what that could be.”
In public comment, one electrical worker warned that apprentices, journeymen and electrons are already struggling to earn a livable wage and afford housing.
“This amendment threatens to suppress wages and further exacerbate the very issues we are discussing today,” he told lawmakers before their vote.
Democratic Rep. Allison Tant said she was voting against it because it didn’t make sense economically given Florida’s workforce shortage.
“I realize this is voluntary, but I do have a problem with how we think we’re going to pay less money to people and get them to take a job,” she said.
Republican Rep. Chad Johnson brought up horse training where some people would be willing to break into the field — and get paid less.
“It is in the special cases where they don’t have the skill set or experience to really demand minimum wage, but they’re willing to voluntarily give that up so that they can pursue that training and for that career,” he said.
Deegan predicts lawsuits are coming once the bill becomes law.
Jacksonville’s Democratic Mayor Donna Deegan is taking a position on the “Jacksonville Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act.”
She won’t veto it. She won’t sign it. She will denounce it.
“I want to be crystal clear. I do not believe this bill is necessary. And I will not sign it. It will become law without signature,” Deegan said.
During a press conference at City Hall, Deegan said immigrants were part of the “beautiful mosaic” of Jacksonville, and that they are “welcome” in the city.
She noted that the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) would get the 25 fingerprint scanners it asked for in the bill, but that the punitive measures making immigration a “local crime” are redundant given state and federal law. She also noted that JSO has had an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement since 2008, referring to the cooperative 287(g) deals.
She also said the bill “puts Jacksonville in a lane where it doesn’t belong” and would prompt “an expensive lawsuit.”
She won’t veto it though, saying it would sacrifice “all we have left to do over a bill that does not change anything.”
Deegan’s position comes after Republicans in Tallahassee warned her not to veto it.
Republican Attorney General James Uthmeier said “if a city official takes action to impede or prevent law enforcement from undergoing the necessary training and participating with the feds to get these people back where they came from, then I do believe the law is violated and that there will be penalties for that.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis also wanted the bill to become law.
“Great job to the City of Jacksonville in following Florida law and empowering their law enforcement to assist in the enforcement of laws against illegal immigration. I am pleased to see this follow from our work in the special session I called in January to insist that all state and local entities participate in immigration enforcement,” he posted to social media Wednesday.
The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee has cleared a measure (SB 608) to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, which would align the name with President Donald Trump’s executive order doing the same.
Already, Google Maps and Apple Maps have reflected the name change for U.S. users, while users in other countries see both names
“By renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, we are putting America first and honoring American greatness,” said Sen. Nick DiCeglie, the bill’s sponsor. “In communities up and down Florida’s Gulf Coast, we are incredibly prideful to say that we live in a paradise along the coast of the Gulf of America.”
The bill would change 92 statutory references in Florida law to refer to the body of water along Florida’s west coast as the Gulf of America. It cleared its first committee stop, Community Affairs, in mid-March.
An identical House version (HB 575) from Rep. Tyler Sirois is on the House special order calendar for Thursday after clearing two committees.
The legislation would comply with Trump’s Executive Order 14172, called “Restoring Names that Honor American Greatness.”
Trump ordered the federal government to “take all appropriate actions to rename as the ‘Gulf of America’ the U.S. Continental Shelf area bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the State of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida and extending to the seaward boundary with Mexico and Cuba in the area formerly named as the Gulf of Mexico.”
DiCeglie’s bill references the President’s directive, which says the move recognizes the “importance of the body of water to the United States.” Senate leadership is on board.
“American exceptionalism matters, and it’s important that we recognize the fact that America is the greatest country in the history of the world,” Senate President Ben Albritton said. “As patriots, we have a duty to honor our country’s greatness, and I am so thankful that President Trump has highlighted what is a fantastic opportunity to do just that and recognize the Gulf of America.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis already pushed the new name in an executive order (EO 25-13) as last month’s Winter storm approached the state.
The name change became official nationally in early February as Trump declared Feb. 9 “Gulf of America Day.”
If passed, the changes to Florida law would take effect July 1.
Sen. Joe Gruters is carrying a bill (SB 1058) in the upper chamber that would implement the name change in Florida public schools, requiring School Boards to “adopt and acquire” materials using the new name to “honor American greatness.”
It is awaiting second reading in the Senate.
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