The House Labor Committee has rejected four bills that would have created a state minimum wage above $7.25 an hour.

NFIB State Director Dawn McVea was among the business leaders who testified against the bills at a committee meeting on Thursday, April 28. The committee has rejected minimum wage increases 52 times since 2009.

“The market has already addressed this,” McVea said. “Most small businesses already pay well above the federal minimum wage. In fact, a lot of businesses are offering double the federal rate to start and still can’t find enough qualified job applicants.” According to the latest NFIB Small Business Optimism Index, 47% of owners nationwide had openings they couldn’t fill.”

One of the bills that was defeated would have added a state minimum wage to the Louisiana Constitution, but McVea said, “The last place it needs to be is in the Constitution. Our Constitution is a wreck.”