Virginia House of Delegates members Paul Krizek (HD-44) and Jennifer Boysko (HD-86) filed legislation today to repeal provisions of the Code of Virginia that discriminate against black Virginians.HB 1259, repeals the subminimum wage for “Newsboys, shoe-shine boys, caddies on golf courses, ushers, doormen, concession attendants and cashiers in theaters,” as well as farm laborers and Virginians with mental, intellectual and physical disabilities.
“This is a list that has Jim Crow written all over it,” said Krizek. “There’s a lot of old language that was obviously aimed at African Americans who were in these service jobs because those were the jobs they could get at the time.”
The bill also repeals the subminimum wage for Virginians subsisting on tips. If this legislation passes employers would need to take responsibility for their employees and not force them to rely on the charity of strangers.
Boysko, a chief co-patron of the legislation, said:
“While doing research for a $15 minimum wage bill, I was angry and disappointed to learn that the Virginia Code includes exceptions to its minimum wage law that are clearly racist, meant to exclude jobs that have been mostly held historically by minorities. As we continue to build our new Virginia economy, we must ensure that all people are treated fairly and have the same opportunities.”
As of this release, Krizek and Boysko are joined by co-patrons Delegate Lamont Bagby (HD-71) who is the Chair of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, and Delegates Kelly Convirs-Fowler (HD-21), Elizabeth Guzman (HD-31), Dawn Adams (HD-68), and Marcus Simon (HD-53).
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Chris Graham
