Senate Concurrent Resolution 653

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO DESIGNATE APRIL 12, 2016, AS "EQUAL PAY DAY IN MISSISSIPPI".

WHEREAS, Equal Pay Day was originated by the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) in 1996 as a public awareness event to illustrate the gap between men's and women's wages; and

WHEREAS, the next Equal Pay Day is Tuesday April 12, 2016. This date symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year; and

WHEREAS, since census statistics showing the latest wage figures will not be available until late August or September, NCPE leadership decided years ago to select a Tuesday in April as Equal Pay Day. Tuesday was selected to represent how far into the next work week women must work to earn what men earned the previous week. The date also is selected to avoid religious holidays and other significant events; and

WHEREAS, because women earn less, on average, than men, they must work longer for the same pay. On this day women's business and professional associations, labor groups, civil rights organizations and other committed to equal pay coordinated activities to raise awareness about how to solve wage inequity:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby designate April 12, 2016, as "Equal Pay Day in Mississippi" to bring awareness to wage inequity.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.