The Seattle Times reports on a bill (SB 6578) from Sen. Michael Baumgartner that would forbid cities, towns and port districts from regulating wages, hours of work, employee retention, and leave for private employers. It would apply retroactively, so if passed, Seattle's $15 minimum wage and paid sick leave laws (for example) would be illegal.

SB 6578 would allow counties to regulate these employment policy items. Other introduced bills would put in place state-level preemption of wage laws. For example: HB 2491 and SB 6029, which would also apply retroactively.

But according to the Spokesman-Review, Sen. Baumgartner acknowledges that "existing laws would likely have to be grandfathered in later discussions."

Meanwhile, the International Franchise Association (IFA) is still fighting Seattle's minimum wage law in the courts. Under Seattle's ordinance, franchises are treated as large businesses (see here for more). According to the Seattle Times, the IFA has now appealed its case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which has yet to decide if it will hear the case.