NFIB State Director Leah Long released the following statement today concerning the value of Senate Bill 206, legislation that would have established a state minimum wage:

“Most small business owners already are paying well above the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour to attract and keep the best workers. Creating a state minimum wage would have pressured employers to pay hourly workers even higher wages to stay competitive. That would have forced businesses to make tough choices in order to balance higher wages with rising costs. In practical terms, they probably would have to cut positions or reduce hours, something that would have hurt the very people supporters of this bill said they’re trying to help.”

SB 206 would have raised the state minimum wage to $10 an hour beginning Jan. 1. The rate would have increased to $12 an hour on Jan. 1, 2027, and $14 an hour on Jan. 1, 2029.