Local employment law preemption bill clears another committee

A bill that would be roll back local sick-leave laws in Minneapolis and St. Paul continued its path through House committees Wednesday.

Sponsored by Rep. Pat Garofalo (R-Farmington), HF600 would prohibit local governments from adopting ordinances that regulate minimum wage, paid or unpaid leave, work scheduling, or other work benefits or working conditions. The bill would preempt ordinances passed on or after Jan. 1, 2016 – including sick-leave initiatives enacted last year in the state’s two biggest cities.

Rep. Pat Garofalo

Garofalo said his purpose is unified labor law across Minnesota, and he hopes proposed appropriations for the Bureau of Mediation Services and the Labor Standards division of the Department of Labor and Industry would attract support from DFLers, including Gov. Mark Dayton.

The House Government Operations and Elections Policy Committee approved the bill on a 10-6 party-line, roll-call vote, sending it to the House Ways and Means Committee.

Its companion, SF580, sponsored by Sen. Jeremy Miller (R-Winona), awaits action by the Senate Jobs and Economic Growth Finance and Policy Committee.

The hearing drew 32 public testifiers, including 22 bill opponents.

DFL members unsuccessfully offered 11 amendments that would have carved out exceptions so local governments could pass ordinances requiring paid leave in certain situations, such as an employee with a sick child or to an employee with a contagious disease who works with food.

Rep. Mike Freiberg (DFL-Golden Valley) said the bill’s preemption of city ordinances regarding working conditions might unintentionally preempt local regulation of such things as cigarette or e-cigarette smoking, or what employees of adult-entertainment businesses do.

Garofalo also had a warning to opponents about unintended consequences.

“This may not cut the way you think it does,” he said while predicting if the bill does not become law, local labor laws that are “not progressive” could pass, particularly in cities that allow voters to approve ordinances by initiative and referendum.