1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to employment; increasing the minimum wage; 
  1.3             amending Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 177.24, 
  1.4             subdivision 1. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 177.24, 
  1.7   subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [AMOUNT.] (a) For purposes of this 
  1.9   subdivision, the terms defined in this paragraph have the 
  1.10  meanings given them.  
  1.11     (1) "Large employer" means an enterprise whose annual gross 
  1.12  volume of sales made or business done is not less than 
  1.13  ~~$362,500~~ $500,000 (exclusive of excise taxes at the retail level 
  1.14  that are separately stated) and covered by the Minnesota fair 
  1.15  labor standards act, sections 177.21 to 177.35. 
  1.16     (2) "Small employer" means an enterprise whose annual gross 
  1.17  volume of sales made or business done is less 
  1.18  than ~~$362,500~~ $500,000 (exclusive of excise taxes at the retail 
  1.19  level that are separately stated) and covered by the Minnesota 
  1.20  fair labor standards act, sections 177.21 to 177.35.  
  1.21     (b) Except as otherwise provided in sections 177.21 to 
  1.22  177.35, every large employer must pay each employee wages at a 
  1.23  rate of at least $4.25 an hour beginning January 1, 1991, at 
  1.24  least $4.50 an hour beginning January 1, 1996, at least $4.75 an 
  1.25  hour beginning January 1, 1997, and at least $5 an hour 
  2.1   beginning January 1, 1998.  Every small employer must pay each 
  2.2   employee at a rate of at least $4 an hour beginning January 1, 
  2.3   1991, at least $4.25 an hour beginning January 1, 1996, at least 
  2.4   $4.50 an hour beginning January 1, 1997, and at least $4.75 an 
  2.5   hour beginning January 1, 1998. 
  2.6      (c) A large employer must pay each employee at a rate of at 
  2.7   least the minimum wage set by this section or federal law 
  2.8   without the reduction for training wage or full-time student 
  2.9   status allowed under federal law.