JEFFERSON CITY—This week, Sen. Paul LeVota, D-Independence, filed Senate Bill 144, which would revise state statutes to add one new section requiring the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DOLIR) to create best practice guidelines for gender pay equality.

“There is no excuse and no room for inequality among genders in this day and age,” said Sen. LeVota. “It saddens me to think that we still live in a time of narrow-mindedness and discrimination. If we do not address this issue now, it will only further the divide between gender equality. We must work together in order to ensure that male and female employees receive equal pay for equal work.”

Although vast amounts of progress have been made since the Equal Pay Act was passed in 1963, currently women in Missouri still only earn 71 cents for every dollar a man earns, creating a 29 cent wage gap between full-time male and female workers. A new study released by the Women’s Foundation and the University of Missouri identify income, child care, health insurance, poverty and elected officials as the five areas in which women are not treated fairly.

“Rep. Stephen Webber, D-Columbia, is championing House Bill 44, identical to SB 144. I feel it is critical that the Senate take up this issue as well in order to generate results,” said Sen. LeVota. “With women making up 51 percent of Missouri’s population, more women have transitioned into the primary financial support for their households. It is even more crucial now to eliminate the wage gap and stop pay discrimination.”

Senate Bill 144 would require, by law, DOLIR to create guidelines for state and local governments and private businesses, which would explain what gender equality is, why it happens, its benefits and how to achieve it. It would not take effect until Jan. 31, 2016.