An Act To Provide for an Increase in the Minimum Wage
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §664, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2007, c. 640, §4, is further amended to read:
1. Minimum wage. The minimum hourly wage is $6.50 per hour. Starting October 1, 2006, the minimum hourly wage is $6.75 per hour. Starting October 1, 2007, the minimum hourly wage is $7.00 per hour. Starting October 1, 2008, the minimum hourly wage is $7.25 per hour. Starting October 1, 2009, the minimum hourly wage is $7.50 per hour. Starting October 1, 2015, the minimum hourly wage is $8.00 per hour. Starting January 1, 2017, the minimum hourly wage is $9.00 per hour. Starting January 1, 2018, the minimum hourly wage is $10.00 per hour. Starting January 1, 2019 and each January 1st thereafter, if there is an increase in the Consumer Price Index on September 30th of the preceding year from the Consumer Price Index on September 30th of the next preceding year, the minimum hourly wage in effect at that time must be increased by the same percentage as the Consumer Price Index increase. For purposes of this subsection, "Consumer Price Index" means the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, CPI-W, for the Northeast Region, or successor index, as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. If the highest federal minimum wage is increased in excess of the minimum wage in effect under this section, the minimum wage under this section is increased to the same amount, effective on the same date as the increase in the federal minimum wage , but in no case may the minimum wage exceed the minimum wage otherwise in effect under this section by more than $1 per hour.
SUMMARY
This bill raises the minimum wage to $8.00 per hour beginning October 1, 2015, $9.00 per hour beginning January 1, 2017 and $10.00 per hour beginning January 1, 2018, and it requires the minimum hourly wage to be adjusted for inflation on January 1st of each year, beginning January 1, 2019.