Jan. 23 –SB 1740 – driver’s privilege card for all immigrants – failed in the Senate Transportation Committee today. This bill would allow all immigrants to take a driver’s test in order to get a driver’s privilege card (similar to a driver’s license). It failed 6-7 on a party-line vote. On Friday, a similar version of this bill will be heard by a sub-committee in the House of Delegates. We’re hopeful it can pass the House!
(Kim Bobo and Amanda Silcox review legislation)
On Tuesday, HB 2473 neither passed nor failed, but instead got tabled until next week. This bill would remove the exemption from the Minimum Wage for several jobs historically held by African-Americans. “Shoe-shine boys, newsboys” and other language rooted in the Jim Crow era would be stripped from Virginia’s code. Removing this exemption would require these positions pay at least minimum wage. We hope it will be voted on in sub-committee next week.
On Monday, SB 1696 – requiring all employers to provide pay stubs – passed the Senate Commerce & Labor committee with unanimous support! This bill requires all employers to provide pay stubs to their workers. Unfortunately, it exempts farmworkers, but it does cover everyone else. The bill is moving through the Senate and should head to the House in the coming weeks.