BILL NUMBER:  S4652

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the labor law, in relation to
authorizing local governments to pay higher level of minimum wage
benefits

 PURPOSE :

To allow municipalities, including villages, cities and counties, to
enact local minimum wages that are above the state minimum wage.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

1 . Amends section 666 of the Labor Law to remove any prohibition
against local governments promulgating or enacting a minimum wage in
such jurisdiction that is higher than the New York State minimum wage.

2. This act shall take effect immediately.

 EXISTING LAW :

None

 JUSTIFICATION :

New York State is a vast state. Given the substantial differences in
              

housing and living costs across the state, a single minimum wage for
the entire state makes little sense. Workers need to earn much more to
live in New York City than other areas of the state. Meanwhile, the
cost of living in Buffalo may be different than the cost of living in
Watertown and the cost of living on Long Island may be different than
the cost of living in the Finger Lakes region. This bill will allow
local governments to decide for themselves what the minimum wage
should be in their particular community. It would seem more likely
that the representatives of each locality would better understand the
economies of their particular locality and be able to increase their
local minimum wage if beneficial.

Under this bill, each locality would be able to promulgate or enact a
local minimum wage that is higher than the state minimum wage.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

02/17/15 Referred to Labor
01/06/16 Referred to Labor

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None

 LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.