HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania House and Senate Democrats renewed their push Tuesday to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour, using ongoing budget negotiations to spotlight legislation that has stalled in the Republican-controlled Senate despite repeated approval in the House.
The proposal, sponsored by state Rep. Jason Dawkins, would gradually raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2029 and tie future increases to inflation through cost-of-living adjustments.
The debate comes as Pennsylvania remains one of the few states in the region still adhering to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, a rate that has not increased in two decades. Neighboring states, including New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, have all enacted higher minimum wages.
Democrats have passed minimum wage legislation in the House three times over the past four years, most recently in March. The latest measure has yet to receive a vote in the Senate, where Republican leaders control the legislative agenda.
“At a time when businesses are reaping record profits; at a time when we are creating more millionaires and billionaires than ever before; at a time when inequality continues to grow – now is the time to raise the wage,” Dawkins said during the Capitol rally.
Dawkins argued that higher wages would improve economic security for workers struggling to meet basic expenses, saying, “If you work hard, you shouldn’t have to worry about your next meal or having a roof over your head.”
Gov. Josh Shapiro has also endorsed increasing the state’s minimum wage and included a $15 hourly rate in his latest budget proposal, adding pressure to negotiations as lawmakers work toward a final spending plan.
State Rep. Roni Green, a longtime advocate for raising the wage floor, criticized Senate Republicans for declining to consider the measure.
“We have parents who are working two or three jobs and still struggling to put food on the table,” Green said. “If the Senate Republicans cared, this could be done today.”
Supporters of the legislation argue that raising the minimum wage would help workers keep pace with rising living costs and align Pennsylvania more closely with surrounding states. Opponents have historically warned that mandated wage increases could raise labor costs for employers, particularly small businesses.
For now, the measure’s future remains uncertain, with no indication that Senate leadership plans to bring the bill up for a vote as budget negotiations continue in Harrisburg.
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