Two bills that would create exceptions to Missouri鈥檚 minimum wage laws, such as exempting businesses with fewer than 50 employees, had an initial hearing before a House of Representatives committee Wednesday.
Proposition A, which will increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour by January 2026, was approved by 57% of voters in November. The proposition also requires employers provide employees an hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.
The minimum wage increased to $13.75 an hour on Jan. 1.
鈥淚鈥檓 not going to tell anyone how to run their business. That鈥檚 not why I鈥檓 here,鈥� said Ron Berry, a lobbyist for the labor rights organization Jobs with Justice, who spoke against both bills. 鈥淚 am here to support the initiative that was passed 鈥� at a high rate, you know, 57% of the people in this state agreed with this increase.鈥�
and would both allow employers to pay teenage workers below minimum wage.
HB 758 would also prevent the minimum wage from being increased in line with the Consumer Price Index in the future and would exempt businesses with annual gross sales of less than $10 million from paying the state minimum wage.
HB 958 would exempt businesses with fewer than 50 employees and would allow employers to pay workers who violate company policy below the state minimum wage for a pay period.
鈥淢inimum pay ought require a minimum performance,鈥� said Rep. Scott Miller, R-St. Charles, who sponsored HB 958. 鈥淚f a business is going to be obligated by law to pay a minimum wage, which is, frankly, the government is price-fixing labor, then the government ought to performance-fix the employees.鈥�
The bill would also allow employers to not pay the state minimum wage if an employee leaves their job without giving two weeks' notice. Some committee members noted this was in conflict with Missouri鈥檚 status as an at-will state, which means employers can fire employees for almost any reason at any time.
鈥淲hat if an employee finds a better job?鈥� asked Rep. Brian Seitz, R-Branson. 鈥淪hould not the employee have that option, just like the business has the option to fire them at will, even on a day鈥檚 notice?鈥�
The two bills heard Wednesday are among a flood of bills filed this session that would delay, alter or roll back Proposition A鈥檚 changes. Since the proposition changed the statute instead of amending the state constitution, the legislature can make changes without voter approval.
Lobbyists for business and industry organizations, including Associated Industries of Missouri and the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, testified in support of legislative changes to Proposition A. Business groups have also brought a lawsuit challenging Proposition A鈥檚 constitutionality .
Committee Chair David Casteel, R-High Ridge, said the committee intended to work on a piece of legislation combining several of the proposed bills, instead of passing either bill in its current form.
鈥淢inimum wage is not the question. The question is when, and how much,鈥� Casteel said. 鈥淎nd possibly for who, and what companies.鈥�
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