News about current legislation affecting workplace rights before the U.S. Congress and the legislatures of all 50 states.
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Voters release Houston from pension law
Source: Mary Williams Walsh, New York Times
Date: May 17, 2004
Houston residents voted decisively on Saturday to exempt their city's pension plan
from a state requirement that pension promises be kept. About 73 percent of the ballots cast in the special
election were in favor of opting out of the pension requirement, which became part of the Texas Constitution in
2003. Houston put the matter to the voters amid growing concern about the solvency of the city's pension
fund.
Cornyn Proposes Guest Worker Program; Democrats Fault Plan
Source: Todd J. Gillman, Dallas Morning News (registration required)
Date: July 11, 2003
Sen. John Cornyn proposed a "guest worker" program
Thursday that lets foreign workers stay in the United States for only three years, enticing them to return home
by giving their green card applications priority if they comply. The Texas Republican said his plan would bring
millions of illegal residents "out of the shadow economy," enhancing national security and working conditions
while providing the labor on which U.S. agriculture and service industries depend. But Democrats and immigrant
advocates said the approach would do little to stem the flow of people across the nation's borders or to speed
the transition to permanent residency.
States Scrutinize Wage Policies
Source: Pamela M. Prah, Stateline.org
Date: June 24, 2003
A handful of states are
debating raising their minimum wage beyond the federal rate of $5.15 an hour, but just as many states are
acting to block grassroots efforts to force government contractors to pay “living wages” that typically far
exceed the federal minimum wage.
Illinois is slated to boost its wage to $6.50 an hour under a measure
approved by the legislature that now awaits Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s (D) signature. But Florida and Texas
recently joined seven other states which expressly forbid local governments to pass living wage ordinances.
