AP Wire

House committee halts equal pay bill

by Megan Trimble, Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Lawmakers in the Louisiana House have handed Gov. John Bel Edwards a significant defeat for his legislative agenda, rejecting an equal pay bill that was a cornerstone of Edwards' campaign for governor.

The Senate had backed the measure requiring private businesses to pay the same wages to men and women who perform the same work. But the House labor committee voted 10-5 against advancing the bill to the full House for debate.

Bill supporters cited statistics showing that women in Louisiana consistently earn less, across occupations. The proposal would apply an equal pay law governing state workers to private industry, outlining how to file discrimination complaints and, possibly, lawsuits.

Opponents, including the state's largest business lobbying groups, said the measure would encourage frivolous lawsuits.