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State Representative Barb Yarusso
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-0141
For more information contact: Susie Merthan 651-296-2955
Press/News Releases
2013 Session Update: House passes anti-bullying and minimum wage legislation
Dear Neighbors,
Bullying has become a national topic as we hear more and more stories in the news about the tragic effects of bullying. Yesterday, we passed HF 826, the Safe and Supportive Minnesota Schools Act, on the House floor. I am proud to be a coauthor of this legislation.
Minnesota has one of the weakest anti-bullying laws in the nation at just 37 words. One of the reasons that we need new legislation is that we currently have a patchwork of individual school district policies all over the state. We are attempting to replace this patchwork with a comprehensive framework to provide a safe school environment for all kids—statewide.
The bill requires that public school districts and charter schools implement policies to prevent bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, intimidation and promote remedial responses. Schools will create and implement these policies in consultation with students, parents and community members, and must annually review and update them.
Nationwide trends in education and anti-bullying are focusing on school climate. Bullying oftentimes happens out of earshot of teachers on the bus, on the playground or in the lunchroom. It’s important that we train all school staff on how to prevent and manage bullying to better address this reality. In addition, the bill creates a School Climate Center and Council to provide support to schools as they create, implement, and practice anti-bullying policies.
We have all heard stories of kids who have been seriously bullied at school, and know of the damage this can do to the learning environment for all students. We are attempting to strike an appropriate balance between making schools safe and respecting students’ rights to freedom of speech. The anti-bullying measures in the bill will apply when bullying substantially affects a student and materializes as a disruption in the classroom. Incidents that happen outside of school will not fall under the law unless they materialize as a problem at school or on school property.
The bill is the product of recommendations put forth by Governor Dayton’s Task Force on the Prevention of School Bullying. All students deserve the right to a safe educational environment where they can succeed academically and socially.
On Friday, the House passed the Minimum Wage Bill, HF 92. The bill will raise the minimum wage to $9.50 for large employers and $8.50 for small employers by 2015. The minimum wage will be raised gradually over three years and automatically adjust to inflation starting in 2016.
Minnesota’s current minimum wage is $6.15 for large employers, though many workers earn the federal minimum of $7.25. Minnesota’s minimum wage has fallen behind regionally and nationally and we are now 45th in the nation. While our economy is recovering, wages have remained stagnant and this is the single largest contributing factor to growing economic inequality in the state.
By raising the minimum wage to $9.50, we will increase wages for over 350,000 Minnesotans by conservative estimate. This will boost our economy and help families who are trying to make ends meet. The bill conforms to federal standards that define large employers as those making $500,000 or more, allow 12 weeks of birth or adoption leave, and define overtime as anything over 40 hours per week, with the exemption of some agriculture and automotive workers.
These measures will help Minnesota workers and Minnesota’s economy. Raising the minimum wage puts more money into workers’ pockets to spend in the community. Businesses do better when more money is being spent by consumers.
The Minimum Wage Bill will now go to conference committee where differences between the House and Senate versions will be sorted out. The Senate’s minimum wage bill is quite different from the House version and raises the wage to $7.75.
Please continue to contact me with your questions and comments on legislative issues. We will frequently be on the House floor in the next few weeks, and you can watch these discussions live through this House link: http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/htv/mnhouse.asx.
Sincerely,
Barb Yarusso
News Items
- 2013 Session Update: Legislative Wrap-Up - (Posted: May 30 2013 4:52PM)
- 2013 Session Update: Jobs, Higher Education, Public Safety and Health and Human Services bills pass - (Posted: May 17 2013 10:11PM)
- 2013 Session Update: House passes anti-bullying and minimum wage legislation - (Posted: May 7 2013 8:54AM)
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