SR 203

2026 Regular Session  ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 203
BY SENATOR BARROW
  A RESOLUTION
To create the Louisiana Livable Wage Task Force to study the cost of living and make
       recommendations to improve economic security for workers and families.
       WHEREAS, Louisiana's current minimum wage is set at $7.25 per hour pursuant to
federal law; and
       WHEREAS, working Louisianians are facing an increase in costs associated with
housing, health care, childcare, transportation, food, and other necessities; and
       WHEREAS, ensuring that workers earn wages sufficient to meet basic living
expenses contributes to stronger families, healthier communities, reduced poverty, and
increased economic participation; and
       WHEREAS, the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour has remained
unchanged since July 24, 2009, and is insufficient for many working families in Louisiana
to meet basic living expenses; and
       WHEREAS, the rising cost of housing, food, transportation, health care, and utilities
has increased financial hardship for workers across the state; and
       WHEREAS, studies such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Living Wage
Calculator estimate that a true living wage in Louisiana would be substantially higher than
the current federal minimum wage; and
       WHEREAS, proposed legislation to establish a statewide livable wage beginning at
$10.25 per hour with future adjustments tied to inflation has failed; and
       WHEREAS, despite the rising cost of basic necessities, many Louisiana workers
continue to earn wages so low that they are unable to secure stable housing, reliable
transportation, nutritious food, health care, childcare, or educational opportunity for
themselves and their families; and
       WHEREAS, a full-time worker earning the federal minimum wage earns
approximately $15,080 annually before taxes, an amount that falls far below what the
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SR NO. 203  ENROLLED
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Living Wage Calculator opines is necessary to
maintain even a modest standard of living; and
       WHEREAS, low wages force many working families into impossible choices
between rent and medicine, groceries and utilities, and transportation and childcare, thereby
perpetuating cycles of poverty, housing insecurity, debt, and economic instability; and
       WHEREAS, the continued existence of poverty wages disproportionately harms
women, immigrant communities, disabled individuals, rural residents, and other historically
marginalized populations throughout Louisiana; and
       WHEREAS, workers who perform essential labor deserve compensation that reflects
the value, dignity, and necessity of their work, particularly after the sacrifices made by
frontline workers during public health emergencies, natural disasters, and economic crises;
and
       WHEREAS, paying workers a livable wage strengthens local economies by
increasing consumer spending, reducing employee turnover, improving workplace morale,
stimulating small business growth, and decreasing dependence on publicly funded assistance
programs; and
       WHEREAS, numerous economists, labor advocates, faith leaders, and public policy
organizations have concluded that raising wages contributes to improved health outcomes,
educational attainment, community stability, and long-term economic growth; and
       WHEREAS, Louisiana consistently ranks among the poorest states in the nation in
measures of poverty, health outcomes, educational opportunity, and economic mobility,
conditions that are heightened by persistently low wages; and
       WHEREAS, no person who works full time should be forced to live in poverty,
depend on charity, sleep in unsafe housing, or skip meals in order to survive; and
       WHEREAS, economic justice is inseparable from human dignity and the moral
obligation of society to ensure that labor is compensated fairly and adequately; and
       WHEREAS, the failure to establish a livable wage undermines families, weakens
communities, and contributes to preventable suffering across the state; and
       WHEREAS, a comprehensive review of regional living costs and labor market
conditions is necessary to inform future policy decisions; and
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SR NO. 203  ENROLLED
       WHEREAS, it is also necessary to study the economic conditions affecting workers
and employers in the community and to evaluate policy options that may support livable
wages while maintaining a healthy business climate.
       THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby create the Louisiana Livable Wage Task Force, hereinafter referred to as the
"task force", to study and make recommendations concerning livable wages in Louisiana.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall do all of the following:
       (1) Assess the cost of living in urban, suburban, and rural regions of Louisiana.
       (2) Analyze the gap between current wages and cost of living.
       (3) Study impacts on businesses, workers, and local economies.
       (4) Solicit input from employees, employers, economists, community organizations,
and local governments.
       (5) Recommend policies to improve economic security.
       (6) Identify policies and practices that promote economic self-sufficiency and
workforce stability.
       (7) Submit findings and recommendations for any legislation, administrative action,
memoranda of understanding, or other policy changes necessary to adopt a livable wage in
Louisiana.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be composed of the
following members:
       (1) The chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations.
       (2) The member of the Senate representing Senate District 15.
       (3) The secretary of Louisiana Works, or her designee.
       (4) The secretary of Louisiana Economic Development, or her designee.
       (5) One member appointed by the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
(LABI).
       (6) One member appointed by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of
Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).
       (7) One member appointed by the Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership.
       (8) Two members who are low-wage worker representatives.
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SR NO. 203  ENROLLED
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each designating authority shall submit the name
of its appointee to the chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations
no later than August 1, 2026.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall convene its first meeting no
later than September 1, 2026, at the call of the chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor
and Industrial Relations and, at its first meeting, the members shall elect a chairman, vice
chairman, and any other officers the task force deems necessary. If the first meeting of the
task force is not convened by September 1, 2026, then the task force shall be deemed
terminated.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial
Relations staff shall provide administrative support to the task force.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a majority of the members of the task force shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business and that any official action of the task
force shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the task force shall serve
without compensation, except per diem or expenses reimbursement to which they may be
individually entitled as members of their constituent organizations.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall submit a written report of
its findings and recommendations no later than March 1, 2027, to Louisiana Works and the
Senate Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations, as required by R.S. 24:771 and 772.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall otherwise terminate on the
date of the submission of its report or March 1, 2027, whichever occurs first.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
secretary of Louisiana Works, the secretary of Louisiana Economic Development, each
entity with appointment authority under this Resolution, including the Senate Committee on
Labor and Industrial Relations, LABI, and the AFL-CIO.
  PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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