Michael Shambo
Staff Writer
Mary Fallin, Governor of Oklahoma, signed a bill on Monday that will prevent cities all across the state from establishing mandatory minimum wage laws, along with sick-day requirements. The bill passed through the House earlier today.
While the bill will prevent many variations of minimum wage throughout the state, those against the bill believe that each individual community should have a say for what best suits them. Some opponents believe that the bill was enacted to put an end to talks in Oklahoma City about raising the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour.
Randy Grau, a republican who helped carry the bill into the House, believes this will be better for the state’s economy going forward.
“This bill provides a level playing field for all municipalities in Oklahoma,” Grau said. “An artificial raise in the minimum wage could derail local economies in a matter of months. This is a fair measure for consumers, workers and small business owners.”
Following the Governer’s signing of the bill, her office released a statement explaining why they thought raising the minimum wage was a bad idea for their state’s economy in the long run.
“Most minimum-wage workers are young, single people working part-time or entry-level jobs,” Fallin said. “Many are high school or college students living with their parents in middle-class families.”
In addition to this bill, Fallin also signed three others on Monday that dealt with tax credits for banking institutions, public investments, and membership of the Alarm and Locksmith Industry Committee.
Time will tell how the minimum wage ban will play out for Oklahoma, but the nation will certainly be keeping an eye on this developing, hot-button issue.
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