August 15, 2024
Golden State Republican Women
Janet Price, President
Submitted by the GSRW Legislative Analyst Committee
Valerie Evans, Lou Ann Flaherty and Elaine Freeman,
PROPOSITION 6
California Proposition 6, Remove Involuntary Servitude as Punishment for Crime Amendment (2024)
California Proposition 6, the Remove Involuntary Servitude as Punishment for Crime Amendment is on the ballot in California as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on November 5, 2024.
| A “yes” vote supports amending the state constitution to prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime and authorize the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to award credits to incarcerated persons who voluntarily participate in work assignments. |
| A “no” vote opposes amending the state constitution to prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime. |
Merriam Webster dictionary definition of involuntary servitude:
a condition in which an individual lacks liberty especially to determine his or her course of action or way of life
The California Constitution prohibits slavery and prohibits involuntary servitude, except as punishment to a crime.
The amendment would repeal language prohibiting involuntary servitude except to punish crime and replace it with language prohibiting slavery and involuntary servitude absolutely. The amendment also would prohibit the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from disciplining any incarcerated person for refusing a work assignment but authorize the department to award credits to incarcerated persons who voluntarily participate in work assignments.
Support:
Officials
- State Sen. Steven Bradford (D)
- State Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas(D)
- State Asm. Lori Wilson (D)
Unions
- California Labor Federation
Organizations
- ACLU of California
- Abolish Slavery National Network
Oppose:
- Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
- Some lawmakers have voiced concerns over the billions of dollars the state could have to shell out yearly to pay incarcerated people should a minimum wage mandate ever be issued.
PROPOSITION 32
California Proposition 32, $18 Minimum Wage Initiative (2024)
The California $18 Minimum Wage Initiative is on the ballot in California as an initiated state statute on November 5, 2024.
| A “yes” vote supports increasing the state minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2026 for all employers and thereafter adjusting the rate annually by increases to the cost of living. |
| A “no” vote opposes this ballot initiative, thereby maintaining the existing law which was designed to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour for all employers by January 2023 and increasing it annually according to inflation |
WHAT WOULD IT DO?
Proposition 32 increases the minimum wage for employers with more than 25 employees from the current $16 an hour to a $17 hourly wage for 2024 and $18 hourly wage in 2025. For employers with 25 or fewer employees, the minimum wage would increase to $17 an hour in 2025 and $18 an hour in 2026. Minimum wages would thereafter be increased annually by an inflation adjustment—the equivalent of the consumer price index (CPI), but no greater than 3.5% a year. If voters say “yes,” California will have the nation’s highest state minimum wage.
| Increases to minimum wage under Proposition 32 | ||
| Year | Employers of 26 or more workers | Employers of 25 or less workers |
| 2023 | $16.00 | $15.00 |
| 2024 | $17.00 | $16.00 |
| 2025 | $18.00 | $17.00 |
| 2026 | $18.00 | $18.00 |
| 2027 | $18.00 + Inflation adjustment | $18.00 + Inflation adjustment |
SUPPORTERS:
- California Labor Federation
- Unite Here
- One Fair Wage
- Working Families Party California
OPPOSERS:
- CAGOP
- California Chamber of Commerce
- California Restaurant Association
- California Grocers Association
- National Federation of Independent Business
According to CalChamber President and CEO Jennifer Barrera, “If Proposition 32 is passed, Californians will see higher costs, fewer jobs and a reduction of available work hours for employees in the state. Voters need to reject this proposal because it will contribute to inflation, add to the high cost of living in California, and hurt state revenues. It will put even more pressure on our state budget.”
FISCAL IMPACT:
Unclear change in annual state and local tax revenues, likely between a loss of a couple billion dollars and a gain of a few hundred million dollars. Increase in annual state and local government costs likely between half a billion dollars and a few billion dollars.
TEXT OF MEASURE
https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/initiatives/pdfs/21-0043A1%20%28Minimum%20Wage%29.pdf
Legislative Portal links – Express your support or opposition to a bill or directly to the Legislative committee currently reviewing it (as an individual, not as a member of RW or GSRW) – click here, or the bill’s author – click here, enter your bill # and look for tab at top of the bill page labeled “Comments to Author”.
