Committee approves change to state minimum-wage exemptions for municipal officers

The House General & Housing Committee voted on March 12 to approve draft 1.1 of H556, a bill amending state law to align certain minimum-wage exceptions with federal standards by specifying that elected and appointed municipal officers are among those exempted.

The committee considered a strike‑all amendment (draft 1.1) that replaces existing language and clarifies definitions, including that the relevant exemption applies to "elected and appointed municipal officers" rather than only to members of a municipality’s legislative body. The chair said the change was intended to target positions such as town clerks and delinquent tax collectors that raised concerns under the earlier wording.

Lawmakers asked technical questions during discussion, including whether language about students working during the school year created unintended age-based or venue‑based consequences. Committee members were told by staff and other members that student-worker definitions remain governed by federal Fair Labor Standards Act rules, which set hour and age limitations.

The bill’s reported effective date is July 1, 2026, and members said the Department of Labor had provided buy‑in for the approach. After brief discussion, the chair moved to vote on draft 1.1; the motion passed on a roll call with the clerk recording affirmative votes from Representatives Bartley, Burrows, Charlton, Dodge, Howard, Lamont, Parsons, Pesach and Mahali.

What’s next: With committee approval, draft language moves forward in the legislative process; the committee recessed to receive witnesses on a different bill later in the day.