BATON ROUGE, La. (WGNO) – In his State of the State address, Gov. John Bel Edwards proposed to raise Louisiana’s minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $8.50 an hour by January 1, 2018.
“I am proposing a modest increase over 2 years in the state’s minimum wage so we can give folks a fair shot,” Gov. Edwards said.
Louisiana is one of a few states that doesn’t have its own minimum wage, but rather goes by whatever the federal standard is. Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Caroline also don’t have a state minimum wage law.
14 other states have state minimum wages that are the same as the federal standard.
The push to raise the lowest possible wage in Louisiana isn’t new. During the spring legislative session in 2014, several state senators and representatives submitted bills aiming at raising the minimum wage to $8.25, $9.50, $10, and $10.10 per hour.
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Gov. Edwards was very active on Twitter during Monday’s address. Below are some of his tweets in regards to Louisiana’s minimum wage:
Edwards: Poverty doesn't discriminate. Poverty isn't a Democrat problem or a Republican problem. #lagov #lalege
— John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) March 14, 2016
Edwards: Poverty is a problem for all of Louisiana. #lagov #lalege
— John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) March 14, 2016
Edwards: Paying our workers a living wage is a basic principle in a land of opportunity; $7.25/hr isn't a living wage in 2016 #lagov #lalege
— John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) March 14, 2016
Edwards: I am proposing a modest increase over 2 years in the state’s minimum wage so we can give folks a fair shot. #lagov #lalege
— John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) March 14, 2016
He also spoke about the gender wage gap.
Edwards: Nearly a century has passed since women began voting alongside men, yet women still make less than men for the same work. #lalege
— John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) March 14, 2016
Edwards: The wage gap is greater in Louisiana than in any other state with women being paid 67 cents for every dollar paid to men. #lalege
— John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) March 14, 2016
Edwards: Single mother households account for most of Louisiana families living in poverty, over half of our low income families. #lalege
— John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) March 14, 2016
Edwards: We must actually value families, and not just talk about family values. #lalege #lagov
— John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) March 14, 2016
