TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Legislation banning local heat protection policies on private companies plus city-established minimum wages is moving forward in the Florida House.

What You Need To Know

  • Under the measure, cities and counties may no longer impose heat protection policies on private companies

  • The bill also bans local minimum wages set upon city contractors

  • The measure is among the more contentious labor proposals

  • It needs one more committee vote before a final house vote

The proposal (HB 433) would ban local rules that require contractors to pay employees above the state minimum wage. Additionally, the measure would restrict cities and counties from choosing contractors based on a company’s wages and benefits.

The House State Affairs Committee advanced the proposal Wednesday with a party-line vote. The bill requires one more committee vote before reaching the House floor.

“This bill preempts labor and wage to the state,” said Fort Myers State Rep. Tiffany Esposito, the bill's sponsor. “It will be up to the private employer of how much they choose to pay their employees based on market conditions.”

House Republicans assert the measure protects taxpayers, while also empowering local business.

“It’s less regulation,” Esposito said. “Less government.”

However, Democratic lawmakers rebuke the measure as a favor to big business. 

“This bill is very let them eat cake,” said Miami Democratic State Rep. Ashley Gantt, who estimated that thousands may lose wages under the measure. 

Not least, Democratic lawmakers contend local leaders are best suited to establish local policy. The state, they say, is too big and too unique for blanket policy.

“We’re not allowing local governments to make the best decisions for their people,” St. Petersburg State Rep. Michele Rayner said. “We’re not allowing the people of these local governments, cities, or municipalities to weigh in and say this is exactly what we need.”

Under the measure, cities and counties must also drop any heat protection policies they impose on private companies.

The preemption saddened Laura Munoz, a Miami resident who spoke Wednesday against the measure. Munoz’s father died in 2014 in a workplace accident. 

“Imagine being told that your safety and your rights as a worker are being sacrificed at the altar of corporate profits,” Munoz said.

Speaking in committee, West Palm Beach Republican Rep. Rick Roth pushed back against critics. Roth ran a farm in South Florida for 41 years.

“I guarantee you we do the best for our employees and this insinuation that we need more help from local government regulating heat exposure problems is insulting,” Roth said.