State Rep. Gina Johnsen on Thursday released the following statement regarding recently agreed upon legislation to save small businesses and tipped workers from devastating mandates set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Friday:

“We knew we wouldn’t get everything we wanted from Senate Democrats, and there are portions of these plans that I’m not a fan of, but when you consider the alternative – chaotic shutdowns and layoffs – the compromise today is clearly the best option.

“Without the legislation we passed this week, tipped workers – many of whom rely on that income to support their families – would’ve been out of a job. Small business owners who have worked in our state for decades could’ve had to close their doors and potentially even move out of state to conduct ongoing business. Our plan may not be perfect, but I’m glad we could stop the damage that was coming.”

House Bill 4002 guarantees all workers have access to sick time while clarifying the strict, complex rules that were originally set to take effect. The plan allows employers of all sizes to choose the sick time plan that works best for their businesses and create unique policies regarding “no call, no show” incidents. The legislation also safeguards businesses from baseless lawsuits and other attacks from left-wing activists.

A plan to protect tipped workers, Senate Bill 8, passed the House Wednesday, maintains the tip credit at 38% through 2025 while implementing annual wage increases, eventually capping at 50% of the minimum wage in 2031. The plan also heightens the penalties for employers who fail to fairly compensate their staff.

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