2010 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 10-034 BY SENATOR(S) Hudak, Carroll M., Newell, Steadman, Tapia, Tochtrop, Bacon, Boyd, Foster, Gibbs, Heath, Hodge, Johnston, Keller, Morse, Romer, Sandoval, Schwartz, Shaffer B., White, Whitehead; also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Gagliardi, Apuan, Carroll T., Ferrandino, Fischer, Kagan, Kefalas, Kerr A., Labuda, Levy, McCann, Middleton, Miklosi, Pace, Peniston, Primavera, Schafer S., Acree, Balmer, Baumgardner, Benefield, Bradford, Casso, Court, Curry, DelGrosso, Frangas, Gardner B., Gardner C., Gerou, Hullinghorst, Judd, King S., Liston, Looper, Massey, May, McFadyen, McNulty, Murray, Nikkel, Pommer, Priola, Rice, Riesberg, Roberts, Ryden, Solano, Sonnenberg, Soper, Stephens, Summers, Swalm, Tipton, Todd, Tyler, Vaad, Vigil, Waller, Weissmann. CONCERNING THE DESIGNATION OF APRIL 20, 2010, AS "EQUAL PAY DAY" IN COLORADO, AND, IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, ACKNOWLEDGING THE PERSISTING PROBLEM OF WAGE DISPARITY AMONG VARIOUS GROUPS. WHEREAS, Nearly forty-seven years after the passage of the "Equal Pay Act of 1963" and Title VII of the "Civil Rights Act", women and people of color continue to suffer the consequences of inequitable pay differentials; and WHEREAS, According to statistics released in 2008 by the U.S. Census Bureau, year-round, full-time Colorado working women in 2007 earned only 80% of the earnings of year-round, full-time working men, indicating little change or progress in pay equity; and WHEREAS, Women of color experience even greater pay disparities, with year-round, full-time Colorado working African-American women and Latinas earning 71% and 56%, respectively, of the earnings of year-round, full-time Colorado working white men, the highest earners; and WHEREAS, Men of color also experience disparities when their pay is compared to that of white men; and WHEREAS, Over a working lifetime, wage disparities cost the average American woman and her family $700,000 to $2 million in lost wages, impacting Social Security benefits and pensions; and WHEREAS, As women get older, the pay gap widens from a 6% pay gap to a 30% gap; and WHEREAS, Fair pay equity policies can be implemented simply and without undue costs or hardship in both the public and private sectors; and WHEREAS, There exists a strong business and public interest case for pay equity; and WHEREAS, Fair pay strengthens the security of families today and eases future retirement costs, while enhancing the American economy; and WHEREAS, The Colorado Pay Equity Commission's 2008 report, "Fulfilling the Promise: Closing the Pay Gap for Women and Minorities in Colorado", offers incremental and achievable solutions to help address the issue; and WHEREAS, Colorado ranks only 27th among the states in pay equity; and WHEREAS, It is estimated that women in Colorado will achieve equal pay in the year 2041; and WHEREAS, Tuesday, April 20, 2010, symbolizes the time in the new year in which the wages paid to American women catch up to the wages paid to men from the previous year; now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-seventh General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein: That we, the members of the General Assembly: (1) Proclaim Tuesday, April 20, 2010, to be "Equal Pay Day" in the state of Colorado; and (2) Urge governmental agencies, nonprofit and labor organizations, businesses, and individuals to take steps to implement the recommendations of the Colorado Pay Equity Commission. Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado, Colorado AFL-CIO, Colorado Black Women for Political Action, Colorado Business Women, Colorado Chapter of 9 to 5 National Association of Working Women, Colorado Division of the American Association of University Women, Colorado Chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women, Colorado Coalition for Gender and Information Technology, Colorado Coalition for Girls, Colorado Jobs with Justice, Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce, Denver Area Labor Federation, Denver Project WISE, Denver Women's Commission, FRESC, Junior League of Denver, Latina Initiative, Partnership for Working Families, Rights for All People, United States Women's Bureau, White House Project, The Women's College at the University of Denver, Women's Foundation of Colorado, Women's Lobby of Colorado, Women's Vision Foundation, and Zonta International District 12. ____________________________ ____________________________ Brandon C. Shaffer Terrance D. Carroll PRESIDENT OF SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES ____________________________ ____________________________ Karen Goldman Marilyn Eddins SECRETARY OF CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES