HJR 115 Summary

• Creates the Alabama Workforce and Wage Gap Task Force to identify evidence-based policies to assist lawmakers in closing the wage gap between men and women.

• Task force composition includes 11 members appointed by the Governor, Senate President Pro Tempore, Senate Minority Leader, Speaker of the House, House Minority Leader, Women's Section of Alabama State Bar, and Society of Human Resource Management, with at least one member from a Historically Black College or University.

• Appointing authorities must coordinate appointments to ensure the task force reflects the racial, gender, geographic, urban, rural, and economic diversity of Alabama.

• Task force must hold its first meeting within 60 days of passage and report findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than December 31, 2022, after which the task force dissolves.

• Addresses Alabama's wage gap where women earn 73 cents per dollar compared to men (versus 82 cents nationally), with even larger gaps for Black women (58.5 cents) and Latina women (48.8 cents).