JEFFERSON CITY — Republican state lawmakers failed early Thursday in their latest bid to torpedo a voter-approved increase in the state minimum wage and new guaranteed paid sick leave rules.

Five months after 57% of the state’s voters approved a plan to boost the minimum wage to $15 an hour and require companies to offer paid leave to employees, business-friendly Republicans tried to muscle a partial repeal through the upper chamber over the objections of Democrats and labor groups.

The GOP effort, however, was scuttled in the early morning hours amid internal disputes over the contours of a compromise. The measure could come back to the Senate floor next week before the new rules kick in May 1.

Democrats, who hold 10 of 34 seats in the Senate, have blocked the proposed changes from advancing over the course of more than hours 18 hours of debate.

“It’s imperative that we uphold the will of the people,” said Sen. Brian Williams, D-University City, during the initial stages of debate Wednesday.

Senate President Cindy O’Laughlin, R-Shelbina, has placed herself at the center of a pressure campaign on behalf of business owners to force a vote.

Calling the law an “economic bomb,” O’Laughlin said she believes workers will abuse the time-off provisions, leaving businesses understaffed.

The Senate proposal carves out sick leave exemptions for certain on-call hospital workers, barge operators, labor unions and companies with under 25 full-time workers.

And, rather than go into effect on May 1, the change would delay implementation until Aug. 1.

The Republican-led changes brokered by Sen. Mike Bernskoetter, R-Jefferson City, also would allow an employer to deny the use of paid sick time “if such use would unduly disrupt the employer’s operations.”

Democrats say the changes presented by Bernskoetter could exempt 90% of all employers from the mandate after voters in six of the state’s eight congressional districts supported the initiative.  It also won in 20 of the state’s 34 Senate districts, including 10 Republican districts.

Sen. Tracy McCreery, D-Olivette, said some of the changes made sense, but dismissed the GOP concerns.

“There seems to be this sky is falling mentality. But it is never as bad as people think,” McCreery said.

Some Democrats said special interests were ignoring voters.

“This building is run by lobbyists, not by legislators,” added Sen. Angela Mosley, D-Florissant. “The last I checked we were the one’s elected and not them.”

Along with lobbying O’Laughlin and other Republicans in the legislative branch, business groups also have asked the Missouri Supreme Court to stop the new law. The high court had yet to act after hearing arguments in March.

The legislation is the latest example of the majority party attempting to overrule voters on citizen-led ballot measures. Along with attempting to put barriers on efforts to change the constitution and state statutes, the GOP also has attempted to block voters from legalizing abortion, expanding Medicaid and making marijuana legal.

“Here we go again,” said Sen. Patty Lewis. “Why are we wasting time at this… when the voters overwhelmingly passed it?”

The legislation is House Bill 567.