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                          HOUSE BILL 2129

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State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Representatives Conway, Dickerson, Cole, Wood, Veloria, Cody, Regala, Kenney, Appelwick, Blalock, Butler, Keiser, Lantz, Fisher, O'Brien, Wolfe, Chopp, Constantine, Sullivan, Ogden, Cooper, Gardner, Doumit, Gombosky, Murray, Costa, Tokuda, Mason, Kessler, Dunshee and Scott

Read first time 02/21/97.  Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

Increasing the state minimum wage.

    AN ACT Relating to the state minimum wage; and amending RCW 49.46.020.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 49.46.020 and 1993 c 309 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, every employer shall pay to each of his or her employees who has reached the age of eighteen years wages at a rate of not less than four dollars and ninety cents per hour.

    (2)(a) Beginning January 1, 1998, the applicable minimum wage rate under subsection (1) of this section shall be five dollars and fifty cents per hour.

(b) Beginning January 1, 1999, the applicable minimum wage rate under subsection (1) of this section shall be six dollars per hour.

(c) Beginning January 1, 2000, the applicable minimum wage rate under subsection (1) of this section shall be six dollars and fifty cents per hour.

(d) Beginning on January 1, 2001, the applicable minimum wage rate under subsection (1) of this section shall be determined under this subsection (2)(d).  On September 30, 2000, and on each September 30th thereafter, the department of labor and industries shall calculate an adjusted minimum wage rate to maintain employees' purchasing power by increasing the minimum wage to respond to inflation.  The department shall calculate the adjusted minimum wage rate to the nearest cent using the implicit price deflator for the previous calendar year as calculated by the United States department of commerce, or a successor agency, and adopted by the economic and revenue forecast council.  The adjusted minimum wage rate calculated under this subsection (2)(d) takes effect each year on January 1st following calculation.

    (3) The director shall by regulation establish the minimum wage for employees under the age of eighteen years.

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