Posted at 6:06 p.m., Tuesday, May 01, 2001

Privatization, health fund and minimum wage bills approved

Advertiser Staff

The state Legislature bucked strong lobbying by public unions today and approved bills to privatize public services and reduce contributions to state and city employees' health fund.

The two measures mark a sea change in the traditional political alliance between the Legislature's majority Democrats and government worker unions.

Lawmakers said both bills, supported by Gov. Ben Cayetano, are needed to make government more efficient and to cut expenses.

Approvals of the measures are part of the marathon voting taking place at the Legislature as the session winds down for the year.

Other bills that passed both the House and Senate include:

• Minimum wage — Increase the state minimum wage from $5.25 an hour to $5.75 an hour next Jan. 1. Also would increase the minimum again to $6.25 an hour on Jan. 1, 2003. Increases the tip credit from 20 cents an hour to 25 cents an hour.

• Hate crimes — Would impose longer prison terms for criminals who select their victims because of the victims' sexual orientation, race, religion, national origin, disability, ethnicity or national origin. In those cases, the penalties for a Class A felonies would be increased from a maximum of 20 years in prison to life; for Class B felonies would be increased from a maximum of 10 years in prison to 20; and Class C felonies would be increased from a maximum of 5 years in prison to 10.

• Age of sexual consent — Raise the legal age of consent for sex from 14 to 16. In cases where 14- and 15-year-olds voluntarily have sex with adults who are at least five years older, the bill would allow the adults to be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison. The bill excludes cases where 14- and 15-year-olds are married to their sex partners.

• Booster seats — Require car booster seats for children 4 to 8 years old.

The measures now go to the governor for approval.