Rep. Chris Kapenga, R-Delafield, has sponsored Assembly Bill 750, which would roll back the requirement that businesses under contract with local governments pay their employees a living wage if any federal or state money is part of the contract. The bill would reportedly affect 65 of 152 companies or nonprofits in Dane County, where employees working for Dane County contractors earn $11.33 an hour, which is adjusted annually. The City of Madison’s living wage has been in place for 15 years and is currently $12.45 an hour.
A public hearing on the measure, which is co-sponsored by Sen. Glenn Grothman, R-West Bend, was attended by dozens of people who claim the bill is morally unjust and would harm workers providing services.
Supporters of the bill say it’s necessary to attract businesses to the state and save taxpayers money.
