Rhode Island Legislature Passes Minimum Wage Increase

There’s some positive news on the state minimum wage front. The Rhode Island legislature has passed a bill to raise the minimum wage in the state from $7.40 to $7.75. While 35 cents an hour falls short of the raise that’s needed, as the chairwoman of the House Labor Committee rightly points out, every little bit helps.

The bill now heads to Governor Lincoln Chafee, though he hasn’t said yet if he will sign the increase into law.  We’re keeping our fingers crossed that Governor Chafee appreciates how critical it is to increase the minimum wage, particularly for women and their families, and provides some momentum for other states where minimum wage bills are still pending (I’m looking at you New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Massachusetts!).