A controversial bill to override Minneapolis and Saint Paul’s new paid sick leave and wage ordinances is moving through the legislature after passing through a Senate committee Monday. Todd Mikkelson is a small business owner in Orono and says the bill is bad for local democracies. Backers of the proposed legislation, like Mike Hickey with the National Federation of Independent Business, argue that with 800-plus cities in Minnesota it could turn into an unmanageable patchwork of regulations unless there’s a uniform statewide standard.
(“It would be very difficult for those small employers to deal with several sets of mandates, and wage mandates and other benefit mandates”)
Opponents say the bill will take away earned sick leave from over 150-thousand Minnesotans and prevent people from making a living wage. The bill, which passed through a Senate jobs committee on a 6-3 vote Monday, now moves on to a local government committee.