Lisa Pryor, Oklahoma Democratic Party Chair, today applauded the Senate Business and Labor Committee for approving a measure that would let Oklahoma citizens vote on increasing the state's minimum wage. Senate Joint Resolution 49, authored by Senator Debbe Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City, is a proposal to raise the minimum wage in Oklahoma by 50 cents a year for five years, beginning January 1, 2007.

"Democrats, like Senator Debbe Leftwich and Representative Richard Morrissette, who championed a similar bill in the House, believe in standing up for the working men and women of Oklahoma. Democrats have always stood for fairness and fair wages," Pryor said. "Families trying to survive on $5.15 an hour are simply struggling too hard to eek out an existence. We can and we must do better for Oklahoma and our working families."

Pryor said the voters of Oklahoma would likely approve such a measure this fall if it were on the ballot. Research numbers show that more than 80 percent of households nationwide supported raising the federal minimum wage. There were more than 40,000 Oklahoma workers being paid at or below the federal minimum wage in 2004.

"This is a simple way to improve the lives and the health of our citizens," Pryor said. "The voters of Oklahoma, if given the opportunity, will overwhelmingly tell legislators that they deserve a higher standard of living."

SJR 49 will next be considered by the full Senate.