HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — A majority of lawmakers voted to pass Bill 24-36 Tuesday, the minimum wage delay bill, permitting the measure to proceed to the governor’s desk. The governor can sign it into law, reject it or do nothing and it becomes law before the next minimum wage hike takes place on March 1.
The vote comes after some back and forth, as lawmakers voted to place Bill 24 into the third reading file last week, before taking the process a step back and returning it to the second reading file Monday.
On Tuesday, lawmakers placed the bill back onto the third reading file for a vote, but with an amendment to shorten the delay in the wage hike to six months rather than one year, as initially outlined. The next minimum wage increase is now set to take place in September.
That six-month delay was introduced earlier in session but failed, only to be revived by its sponsor, Sen. Amanda Shelton, during a vote to reconsider Tuesday afternoon.
“Instead of waiting an entire year, it would be a compromise to postpone just six months so businesses can get back on their feet and our minimum wage workers will still benefit from the law that we passed just a few months ago in this body,” Shelton said.
Emergency power
In addition to the wage hike delay, lawmakers took up Bill 11-36 Tuesday, which would require legislative authorization to extend a public health emergency.
Current law grants that authority to the governor, however, the Legislature could end an emergency declaration at any time by majority vote. If Bill 11 is enacted, an emergency declaration could end simply if the Legislature let it expire after 30 days, rather than muster the votes for a resolution.
Business groups and owners have raised concerns with the governor’s extended public health emergency and restrictions, which have closed businesses, albeit to different degrees depending on Guam’s condition of readiness. Under more recent guidelines, most businesses have been allowed to reopen, including bingo parlors and gaming halls, with restrictions, but not bars and related industries.
More restrictions may be lifted in the coming days, but it’s uncertain if bars can open. Earlier this month, bar owners and others testified in support of Bill 11.
Sen. Chris Duenas introduced Bill 11, which is co-sponsored by Sens. Tony Ada and James Moylan. On the session floor, Duenas recounted his family’s bout with Covid-19 in August.
“We were spared and survived the scourge of Covid. So I understand the realities of the disease, it’s personal to me. I also understand and I’m saddened by many families who lost loved ones … but moving along, there are other lives that have been ravaged by Covid,” Duenas said Tuesday, referring to business owners and the challenges they face.
Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero has been critical of the measure, not only because she views Bill 11 as a violation of the separation of powers, but also because it could slow down response time to public health threats.
Lawmakers ultimately recessed Tuesday to allow time to read the testimony before acting on Bill 11.
Sen. Jose Terlaje, whose committee oversees public safety and emergency response, said: “If anyone felt so strongly that the bars should open, then why did not one senator introduce a resolution to cancel the public health emergency?” he added.
“But there is an existing mechanism to check and balance that is not being utilized. Just introduce the resolution to cancel the public health emergency if that is what you want to do. You got the bush cutter, cut the grass.” he added.
Vote on Bill 24-36
Tony Ada – Yes
Frank Blas Jr. – Yes
Joanne Brown – No
Chris Duenas – Yes
James Moylan – Yes
Vice Speaker Tina Muna Barnes – excused
Telena Nelson – Yes
Sabina Perez – Yes
Clynton Ridgell – No
Joe San Agustin – No
Amanda Shelton – No
Telo Taitague – Yes
Jose Terlaje – No
Speaker Therese Terlaje – No
Mary Torres – Yes
The door to what was once a clothing store in the Pleasure Island tourism district in Tumon is seen padlocked on Dec. 4, 2020.
Photo by Dontana Keraskes/The Guam Daily Post
