CARSON CITY, Nev. — In a party-line vote, the Nevada Assembly adopted two separate measures Tuesday that would increase Nevada's minimum wage to $12 per hour.
The first, AB456, sponsored by Speaker Jason Frierson, would raise the minimum wage by 75 cents per year until it reached $12 per hour for workers not offered health insurance, and $11 an hour for employees who are.
The bill passed by a 28-12 vote, with Democrats voting in favor.
The second, AJR10, also sponsored by Frierson, proposes amending Nevada's Constitution to set the minimum wage at $12 per hour, regardless of health benefits offered. The Assembly voted to pass the resolution, also with a 28-12 vote.
The measures now move to the state Senate for consideration.
Battle Born Progress Executive Director Annette Magnus said, “It is heartening to see that Nevada's Assembly has passed both of these crucial measures to benefit the working families in this state. Minimum wage workers have not seen a raise in at least 10 years, and the current cost of living makes it impossible for those workers to afford basic necessities like rent and food, let alone support a family. This is a good first step.”
Magnus also stated AJR10 would eliminate the loophole in Nevada's Constitution which allows employers to pay their workers less than the minimum wage.
AB456 would require the minimum wage rise by 75 cents per year, beginning in January 2020 until the minimum wage is $12 per hour.
AJR10 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 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.
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