JACKSON, Miss. ( WJTV ) – Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Mississippi have proposed legislation to raise the state’s minimum wage anywhere from $8.50 up to $15.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures , Mississippi and 20 other states have their minimum wage at $7.25 an hour. At least eight House Democrats and one Republican hope Mississippi surpasses the federal minimum wage this year.
All proposed legislation originated in the Mississippi House of Representatives, and all bills are still in committee as of publication. WJTV 12 News gives you an overview of what has been proposed.
House Bill 16
Author: Solomon C. Osborne (D – Leflore)
HB 16 , known also as the Fair Minimum Wage Act, seeks to raise Mississippi’s minimum wage to $15 an hour. The bill asserts that the current minimum wage leads many to poverty.
“This law is enacted to increase the wages of low-income workers, promote the economic strength of the state and take pressure off state social service programs,” the bill says.