March 20, 2017      3:57 PM

Democrats clash with Texas House Republicans over proposals on minimum wage

“What we are asking for is something for the little dogs,” Rep. Thompson; Rep. Shine says a hike in the minimum wage would increase wage inflation

The minimum wage took center stage at a Monday House Business and Industry Committee meeting, where legislators heard nine bills aimed at bumping up the floor on how much a person can be compensated per hour in Texas.

Texas’ minimum wage is set at the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour. Most of the proposals heard on Monday recommend that it be increased to either $10.10 or $15 an hour. Two would leave it up to local governments to decide.

“What we are asking for is something for the little dogs,” Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, said while laying out her proposal to set the minimum wage at $10.10 an hour. “This is a little dogs’ bill.”

But several GOP members of the committee were not convinced, expressing concerns about potential negative economic impacts including for small business owners.

Rep. Hugh Shine, R-Belton, was among them.  

By Eleanor Dearman

Copyright March 20, 2017, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved