Texas Lawmaker Wants To More Than Double The Minimum Wage In 2025
Next year in Texas, lawmakers will be meeting to debate and vote on bills they hope will eventually become laws. Every time there is a legislative session in the Lone Star State there are plenty of attention-grabbing bills proposed, but one that is already filed for the upcoming session is a real head-turner. One lawmaker in Texas is proposing to double the state's minimum wage.
Doubling The Minimum Wage In Texas; Can It Be Done?
The bill that is filed for next year's session is HB 691. This bill seeks to do something that hasn't been done in almost two decades; raise the minimum wage in Texas. The last time the minimum wage went up in the Lone Star State was in 2009. Currently, it sits at $7.25 an hour.
The bill takes what some might call an extreme approach. Instead of the $15 an hour that we see most of the time in the headlines, this bill would make the minimum wage in Texas $19 an hour. That's one heck of a raise for residents stuck earning the current $7.25.
Will The Minimum Wage In Texas Go Up In 2025?
The tricky part with bills like this is remembering that just because they're filed, that doesn't mean they're guaranteed to become law. Tons of bills get filed every session, and there's a small percentage that even gets the privilege of being considered for a vote.
If a bill does get voted on, it needs to pass both the House and the Senate in Texas before it lands on the Governor's desk for his potential signature into law. It's a long road with plenty of chances for failure. Some bills may pass the House but never get heard in the Senate, or vice versa.
While many Texans will be excited at the prospect of the minimum wage going up more than twice its current amount, there's a long way to go before that happens. This is where getting in contact with your representatives matters. Let them know how you feel about the range of bills that will be brought up in the next session. Then, keep your fingers crossed that the votes go the way you hope they will.
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