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• Introduced by Rep. Joan Bauer (D) on April 19, 2007, to prohibit paying a person a wage or salary that is less than an amount established under an interpretation of “comparable worth” devised by a proposed commission composed of various special interests and advocacy groups, making doing so a civil rights law violation. The bill would prohibit different levels of compensation for work of “comparable value,” meaning a “comparable composite skill, responsibility, effort, education or training, and working conditions.” The bill does not specify how different kinds of work (as opposed to different people doing the same work) would be compared with regard to these various criteria.
  • Referred to the House Labor Committee on April 19, 2007.
    • Reported in the House on May 8, 2007, without amendment and with the recommendation that the bill pass.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Arlan Meekhof (R) on April 22, 2008, to prohibit employers from offering or providing fringe benefits (such as health insurance) to the same-sex partner of an employee. The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 22, 2008.
• Passed 59 to 48 in the House on April 22, 2008.
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Received in the Senate on April 23, 2008.
  • Referred to the Senate Commerce & Tourism Committee on April 23, 2008.