Samantha Bucklew
Nov. 17, 2018.
Emilie Tindle (OSU) enters the Senate on the morning of Saturday November 17 to present her bill OSU 531 titled the “Fair Wage” Act of 2018. With the hopeful passage of this bill, Mrs. Tindle hopes to increase the State of Oklahoma minimum wage to $10.50 an hour. She begins introducing her bill to the Senate by explaining the detriment to people who are living on the federal minimum wage currently at $7.25. This includes that those who are living on the federal minimum wage are unable to adequately provide for themselves and their families due to the low wages.
This bill had previously passed in the House of Representatives as the House Freshman bill, by a slight margin. Tindle enters the Senate hoping to again have a successful passing in the Senate.
During the presentation of her bill, Tindle left no time for questions leaving the Senate with 5 minutes of questions. The senators were all eager to overwhelm representative Tindle with questions, however she was able to strongly establish her bill through her answers and research that she had done over the potential implications of her bill.
During questioning the Senate motioned to recess for 7 minutes to allow for caucusing before time for questions ended. The Senate moved to the back of the room to continue caucusing during the recess as they wanted to clarify and sway others to their opinion. Tindle stayed in the front of the room by the dias while a number of senators continued to question her during the recess so that she could clarify any concerns they had. Continuing into the recess Tindle made her way back to the senators who were caucusing. Here she gave speeches in regards to her bill and how the bill would benefits the people of Oklahoma more than the current federal minimum wage.
In the back of the room the caucusing continued with many Senators passionately arguing for and against OSU 531. Those against the bill made the argument that businesses choose to lay off people while prices are rising when the minimum wage increases. However, other senators were greatly for the bill citing that once the minimum wage was increased the economy would balance out to accommodate the new wages, showing that there are few detrimental effects in raising the minimum wage.
As the senators suspend the rule to go back in time for questions so that they are able to submit additional amendments, Tindle continues to talk about how her bill will benefit the people in Oklahoma. As well, she shows all of the research articles she had printed out and goes over a summary of each of them to inform the senators that they will be able to look at each of them.
The Senate continues to go over the bill as each of the 5 amendments presented to the Senate are presented in a block to allow for the senators to hear all amendments at once. The 5 authors explain each of their proposed amendments, including striking Page 2 Section 4 strike Subsections 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well as not allowing the employer may not immediately reduce Health care benefits. The amendments 2, 3, and 4 were passed by the Senate.
With a vote 10 affirmative and 16 against and 7 abstentions the bill did not pass in the Senate. However, Tindle was able to strongly explain her bill as well as many senators were fully for the passage of the bill. Although the bill did not pass in the Senate, it was successful in the House showing that although it did not make it all the way through the Legislative branch, it was a very well written and presented bill by Tindle.