3 things to watch for on Legislative Session Day 15
It’s the start of the third week of the 2017 Legislative Session, and Day 15 is going to be busy.
Here’s what to watch for.
1. More efforts to increase youth unemployment. Last week, the Assembly debated increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Today in Senate Commerce, Labor and Energy, they’ll debate SB106, a similarly structured proposal to raise the minimum wage to $12 an hour for businesses that don’t provide insurance. Someone should explain why it should be illegal for a teenager or low-skilled worker to agree to work for $9 an hour.
2. Unintended consequences from ERA. In the late 1970s, Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. While the amendment at first garnered broad support — who could oppose equal rights? — the amendment failed to get three-fourths approval from state legislatures after opponents uncovered numerous problems. ERA would make high school and college sports sex integrated, require taxpayer-funded abortions and force women to register for the draft. While the deadline and extension to the deadline expired over 30 years ago, ERA, called SJR 2, will be debated today in Senate Legislative Operations and Elections.
3. Late start for teenagers. Research shows that teenagers learn better if they start their school day after 8:30 a.m. AB225, sponsored by Assemblyman Richard Carrillo, would require high schools to start their school days after 9 a.m. It’s up today in Assembly Education.
Contact Victor Joecks at vjoecks@reviewjournal.com. Follow @victorjoecks on Twitter.
