Committee Votes to Lower Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers

A powerful House member is holding up legislation that would fix a glitch in the state's new minimum wage that's causing havoc for firefighter and police budgets.

Rep. Shannon Cooper, R-Clinton, wants the legislation to go further. The Senate approved a bill (SB 255) in February that would fix the glitch. Cooper backs a bill that also would get rid of the inflation adjuster included in the measure voters approved by a 3-1 margin in November.

The measure raised the minimum wage to $6.50 an hour, from $5.15 an hour, and required it to keep pace with inflation in future years.

Cooper also wants to give restaurants a break and allow a return to paying tipped employees the federal rate of $2.13 an hour. The voter-passed law raised the minimum wage for tipped employees to $3.25 an hour.

Cooper says every interest, not just fire departments, should get help. Cooper's proposal cleared a House committee on Thursday by a 5-3 party line vote. Voting in favor of the measure were Republicans Cooper , Steve Hunter of Joplin , Mike Parson of Bolivar, Dwight Scharnhorst of Ballwin and Steve Tilley of Perryville. Opposed were Democrats Beth Low of Kansas City , Brad Robinson of Bonne Terre and Michael Frame of Eureka.

“The utter disdain Republicans on this committee showed to the 1.6 million Missourians who voted for this law is astounding,” said House Minority Leader Jeff Harris, D-Columbia, in a news release. “Lawmakers who opposed giving raises to low-wage workers should respect and accept the voters’ verdict and cease attempts to overturn the will of the people.”

“I am shocked Republican members would pervert this bill to cut wages for thousands of hardworking waiters and waitresses and prevent all low-wage workers from receiving modest raises in the future,” said Frame in the same news release. “This is a slap in the face to Missouri workers and Missouri voters.”

Proposition B, which passed with 76-percent voter support, increased the state’s standard minimum wage to $6.50 an hour from $5.15 an hour. It also established annual adjustments in the minimum wage based on changes in the Consumer Price Index.

Prior to voter approval in November, the last time Missouri raised its minimum wage was 1997.