A Republican senator wants Florida's voters to change the state constitution and restrict felons and people younger than 21 from its newly adopted $15-an-hour minimum wage — but only for a short time.
Exempting them would actually help them get jobs because the lower wage would be coupled with a training period for those groups, said Senate Judiciary Chairman Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg.
"We think this will assist," Brandes said. "What we are proposing is what is called the temporary training wage, found in 30 other states and the federal government uses for individuals to start and build skills, then move up to a higher wage. It is an incentive for employers to look at applications they would otherwise not consider."