If two Maryland legislators get their way, the state will join Montgomery County in implementing a $15 minimum wage.
In November 2017, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett signed the $15 minimum wage measure into law, despite vetoing it the first time in January 2017. Under the new law, companies with 51 or more employees would have to pay a $15 minimum wage starting in 2021, while smaller companies would have longer to comply—2023 for businesses with 11 to 50 employees, and 2024 for companies with 10 or fewer employees.
Now, State. Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. and Del. Shelly L. Hettleman announced that they plan to introduce legislation that will raise the state’s base wage from $10.10 per hour to $15 per hour by 2023. The $10.10 rate, however, hasn’t even gone into effect yet; it will do so in July, according to legislation signed by former Gov. Martin O’Malley.
Madaleno is one of seven Democrats who is running for governor this year, and the issue is also supported by several other gubernatorial candidates. However, the issue faces an uphill battle: The $15 minimum wage bills debated in both of the last two legislative sessions never made it out of committee.
