Committee advances bill clarifying state is not subject to local minimum wages; unions push back

The Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously advanced Senate Bill 193 after hearing both administrative and union testimony about the bill’s scope and impacts.

Mark Ferrendino, director of the Office of State Planning and Budgeting, testified in support and said the bill "codifies current practice" that the state is not subject to local minimum wages and described a supplemental process to raise state minimum pay (the testimony cited an illustrative move to $19.29, with estimated costs of about $6.7 million total funds and $1.8 million general fund to address compression and step impacts). Ferrendino said the change would be implemented through a supplemental and would take effect July 1 to align with the fiscal year.

Union witness Jade Kelly, president of CWA Local 779, testified in strong opposition, saying the bill would strip minimum‑wage protections from roughly "16,000 university staff" and other public workers who are not covered by collective bargaining. Kelly urged the committee to "hit pause before stripping away minimum wage protections from any workers, especially in the middle of an affordability crisis." The committee also heard from Hillary Glasgow, executive director of Colorado WINS, who said her union supports the bill and the corresponding agreement because it would lift thousands of classified executive‑branch employees and enable bargaining across the state.

Committee members asked for follow‑up conversations with stakeholders and clarified that sponsors had received proposed amendment language. After questions and the recorded roll call, the committee approved SB193 for referral.