HB1291
To Exclude Certain Minor League Baseball Players From The Definition Of "employee" Under The Minimum Wage Act Of The State Of Arkansas Impacting The Law Resulting From Initiated Act 5 Of 2018.
AI-Generated Summary
This bill proposes to amend the Minimum Wage Act of Arkansas, specifically impacting the law established by Initiated Act 5 of 2018. The core purpose of the bill is to create an exclusion from the definition of "employee" for certain minor league baseball players. Under the proposed amendment, an individual who has a contract to play minor league baseball and is compensated according to a collective bargaining agreement that outlines wages and working conditions would not be considered an "employee" for the purposes of the Minimum Wage Act. This exclusion would apply to those players covered by such agreements. The bill aims to add this specific group to the existing list of exclusions from the definition of "employee" under state minimum wage law. The stated intent is to address the unique employment circumstances of these athletes. The bill makes no other changes to the Minimum Wage Act. It is presented as an act "for other purposes."
Potential Impact Analysis
Who Might Benefit?
The primary beneficiaries of this bill, if enacted, would be minor league baseball organizations operating in Arkansas and potentially the players themselves, provided they are covered by a collective bargaining agreement that explicitly details their compensation and working conditions. Minor league baseball teams would benefit from clarity and potential relief from minimum wage obligations for these contracted players. The players covered by such collective bargaining agreements would continue to be compensated as negotiated within those agreements, without the state's minimum wage law directly applying to their specific compensation structure.
Who Might Suffer?
The groups potentially negatively impacted by this bill are minor league baseball players who might otherwise be considered employees under the current Minimum Wage Act and whose compensation falls below the state's established minimum wage. This exclusion could mean that these players receive wages that are lower than what they would be entitled to if they were covered by the state's minimum wage laws. Additionally, labor advocacy groups or individuals who support the expansion of minimum wage protections to all workers, including athletes in similar situations, might view this bill negatively as it creates a new exemption.