CT: Businesses Prepare for a Minimum Wage Increase
On April 28, the state house of representatives voted to increase the minimum wage to $7.40 per hour in 2006 and $7.65 in 2007, and the Senate is expected to follow suit. Several legislators and business leaders voiced opposition, saying the increases will force employers to cut jobs, bonuses, and employee hours. Gov. Rell has signaled her support, saying, "I think the minimum wage bill… is a reasonable one." At $7.10, Connecticut's minimum wage is already one of the highest in the nation, well above the federal rate of $5.15 per hour.
Source: The Hartford Courant

 

MD: Study Says Burdensome Regulations Lead to More Uninsured
A new study by the Maryland Public Policy Institute finds that burdensome state health insurance regulations are largely responsible for the 12.7% of Marylanders who are uninsured. The study also faults proposed legislation that would further regulate one of the state's biggest employers, saying it would have a minimal effect on reducing the number of those without health insurance, which currently stands at 700,000.
Source: Maryland Public Policy Institute

FL: Despite Hurricane Damage, State Economy Rockets Ahead
As recently as January, Florida's unemployment rate had spiked to the highest level since September 11, 2001. This spring, however, Florida businesses are experiencing the most impressive growth rates in the last 25 years, and the number of new jobs created has jumped 3.5% since last year. Florida now leads the country in job growth, out-of-state visitors, real estate construction, and home sales. Industries like banking, insurance, healthcare, and manufacturing are all powering ahead. "It's just unbelievable," Florida Chamber of Commerce President Frank Ryll commented recently. "Tell me where else in the country this is happening."
Source: The Christian Science Monitor

 

VA: Beltway Plan Will Raise Tolls, Relieve Traffic
The Virginia Department of Transportation has signed a deal to expand 14 miles of the Capital Beltway, a chronically traffic-clogged highway that circles Washington, D.C. By 2010, two new toll lanes in each direction will allow high-occupancy vehicles with three or more passengers to speed through traffic. Transportation Commissioner Schucet said that the added toll lanes will relieve congestion, calling it "a new opportunity for HOV and transit, and a choice for drivers who want to pay for a faster commute." This project is the first of many planned in Virginia to repair aging highways.
Source: The Washington Post

IA: Pro-Business Legislation Approved by House
The Iowa house has approved a 10-year plan for a program that will help bring new, high paying jobs to the state over the next decade by providing loans and grants to businesses, work force training at community colleges, and research and development at state universities. The house now must approve a funding plan for the program. The bill next heads to the senate for approval.
Source: The Des Moines Register

 

IL: Studies Find Poor Job Prospects for High School Dropouts
The Alternative Schools Network in Chicago (ASNC) has issued two reports about the success of people who leave high school before graduating. The reports show that one out of three high school dropouts in the state is currently unemployed, and that someone without a degree faces a lifetime income of about $300,000 less than an individual with a diploma. Based on these results, ASNC is asking legislators to add $5 million or more to the state's 2006 education budget to be directed towards programs encouraging dropouts to return to school.
Source: The Daily Herald

CA: New Study Details the Trial Bar's Influence
An explosion in lawsuits in the Golden State is making it an increasingly risky place for employers to hire workers, according to a new study by The Manhattan Institute's Center for Legal Policy. Trial Lawyers, Inc. California says jury awards grew 144% from 1996 to 2001, averaging $1.5 million in 2001, and that California is home to more lawyers than any industrialized nation other than the U.S. The study does cite a silver lining—Proposition 64, passed by voters last year, will prevent trial lawyers from bringing claims without demonstrating real harm experienced by their clients.
Source: The Manhattan Institute and The Institute for Legal Reform

 

HI: New Budget Includes Wage, Excise, and Property Tax Hikes
Wage, excise, and property taxes are in store for Hawaiian business owners thanks to a new budget recently passed by the state legislature. Under the agreement, the minimum wage will increase by $1 an hour, municipalities will be allowed to raise local excise taxes by 12.5% to pay for transportation projects, the state excise tax will increase from 4% to 4.5%, and owners of properties that sell for more than $600,000 will be hit with a property tax increase. Gov. Lingle called her work with the legislature cooperative, saying "It was a pretty good session."
Source: Honolulu Star-Bulletin