AK HB197

Designates the act as the "Equal Pay and Living Wage Act" and requires an annual report by January 15 on fair pay practices in Alaska by election district.

Report must assess whether employees receive equal pay for work of comparable character regardless of protected characteristics (race, religion, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood) and whether wages are sufficient to cover reasonable living expenses for a family of four with two children.

Establishes minimum wage at $8.75 per hour effective January 1, 2015, $9.75 per hour effective January 1, 2016, and $15.00 per hour effective January 1, 2017.

Minimum wage adjusts annually after 2017 for inflation using 100 percent of the Consumer Price Index for the Anchorage metropolitan area, rounded up to the nearest cent.

Act takes effect July 1, 2016, with the $15.00 minimum wage applying only to contracts made on or after July 1, 2016.