The plot to eliminate the state’s minimum wage is advancing quickly in the Arkansas Legislature. Your action is needed immediately or the will of voters – and the new minimum wage – will be overturned by the Arkansas Legislature.

Late Tuesday afternoon, the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee passed two bills that virtually wipe out the state’s minimum wage laws for 250,000 workers. Both are sponsored by Republican state Representative Robin Lundstrum of Springdale. 

HB1752 would exempt upwards of 85 percent of Arkansas businesses from paying the minimum wage. HB 1753 would prevent nearly 45,000 people younger than 20 years old from providing for themselves, their families, and building toward their future.

The pair of bills now head to the House floor to be voted on Thursday at 1:30 p.m.

It will require a two-thirds vote to pass.

Do not take any vote for granted, CALL and E-MAIL your state legislator and members of the House.

Read the details below, as reported by the Arkansas Times.

“The House Public Health Committee approved the two bills on a voice vote. HB1752 exempts businesses with fewer than 20 employees, nonprofits with an operating budget under $1 million, and certain nonprofits that provide services for people with developmental disabilities. HB1753 exempts those younger than 20 (a previous version exempted those younger than 21 who were full-time students; Lundstrum amended it today to lower the age and remove the education component). Watch it here.

In 2018, voters overwhelming backed increasing the state minimum wage to $9.25 in 2019, $10 in 2020, and $11 in 2021. Lundstrum told the committee that her bill would freeze the state minimum wage for those exempted at the current $9.25. Advocates for the minimum wage hike dispute this and argue that the plain language of the bill would roll back the state minimum wage for those exempted entirely, leaving only the federal minimum wage of $7.25.”