Bills to increase the minimum wage and demand equal pay for men and women were approved by the Senate Labor Committee today. Governor John Bel Edwards was on hand to testify in favor of both measures. He says a higher minimum wage could help solve the child poverty problem in Louisiana.
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Baton Rouge business owner Mark Johnson opposes the increase because he says it would impact small businesses production costs.
On a 4-3 vote the committee approved the minimum wage increase to $8.00 an hour beginning next year. And a 5-2 vote from the panel passed the bill seeking equal pay for women. Both bills head to the Senate floor.
A bill to allow hunters to wear blaze pink in addition to hunter’s orange passes out of the House. Author of the legislation Bogalusa Rep. Malinda White says all this does is give another option that has been proven to be safer. White says the blaze pink attire would be simple and without embellishment to meet the 400 square inches of color requirement. She says pink will stand out in the woods.
White says men can wear blazing pink too.
Several tax increases will go into effect tomorrow in Louisiana, including a one-cent increase on the state sales tax. LSU Marketing Professor Dr. Dan Rice says this likely won’t change consumer’s purchasing habits.
The tax on a pack of cigarettes will increase by 22-cents, and taxes on all types of alcohol will also go up.