Nevada minimum wage increase to $12 an hour now awaits Sisolak's approval

CARSON CITY, Nev. — The Nevada Senate on Friday approved a pair of measures to raise the state's minimum wage.

One of the bills, AB456, sponsored by Speaker of the Assembly Jason Frierson, enacts a gradual increase of the minimum wage up to $12 per hour.

The bill passed with a 13-7 vote, with Sen. Keith Pickard joining the Democratic senators in bipartisan support.

Further, the resolution AJR10 amends the Nevada Constitution to change the Nevada minimum wage to $12 an hour, regardless of health benefits offered. AJR10 passed the Senate 12-8.

The Assembly passed the two bills earlier this week, meaning the bills now go to Gov. Steve Sisolak to sign into law.

Executive Director of Battle Born Progress Annette Magnus issued the following statement Friday after the Senate votes:

“We are thrilled to see the Senate pass both AB456 and AJR10 to raise the minimum wage, benefiting approximately 300,000 workers. AB456 is a good first step toward building a Nevada where workers are treated with dignity and compensated fairly. Minimum wage workers in this state have gone 10 years without a raise, severely impacting their ability to pay for basic necessities or support a family.”

AB456 requires the minimum wage rise by 75 cents per year, beginning in January 2020 until the minimum wage is $12 per hour.

AJR10, also sponsored by Frierson, proposes removing the provisions of the Nevada Constitution allowing an employer to pay less than the minimum wage if health benefits are offered, allows Nevada to set a higher minimum wage if the federal minimum wage is increased, and sets the Nevada minimum wage at $12 per hour beginning July 1, 2024.