Sign minimum wage increase immediately
Don’t make our lowest-wage earners wait and wonder any longer. They need and deserve this modest raise.
Reflections on Hawaiʻi’s ‘historic’ legislative session shine bright
It’s only 60 days long, but Hawaiʻi’s legislative session this year was a monumental affair featuring some self-reform, historic spending and a return to in-person public participation, all largely in the wake of a bribery scandal, a budget deficit and peak coronavirus infections.
State legislature closes an ambitious session
After two years of COVID-induced budget cuts, the state legislature took advantage of a rebounding economy and federal relief funding to enact an ambitious agenda.
Minimum wage hike passes: Ige expected to sign measure boosting hourly rate to $18
“People should be able to afford their basic needs on 40 hours a week,” said Nate Hix, the director of Living Wage Hawaiʻi, an advocacy group that has been pushing for a higher minimum wage.
Hawaiʻi legislature passes bill raising minimum wage to $18
Advocates say the raise is badly needed in a state that routinely tops lists for most expensive housing and cost of living.
Hawaiʻi poised to raise minimum wage to $18 by 2028
The measure passed with a vote of 48-3 over in the House. Rep. Jeanne Kapela said it is well past time to give Hawaiʻi workers a living wage.
Hawaiʻi’s first-in-nation $18 minimum wage bill sent to governor
Hawaiʻi is poised to establish ostensibly the highest statewide minimum wage in the nation, raising it to $18 an hour by 2028, under legislation that state lawmakers sent to Gov. David Ige.
Hawaiʻi could soon have the highest minimum wage in the country
The argument against the minimum wage hike was that it would hit small businesses hard. But supporters said paying people more will allow them to put more money back into the economy.
$18 minimum wage heading to final vote
After months of back and forth, the state House and Senate reached an agreement on the $18 minimum hourly wage in a conference committee session Friday.
Hawaiʻi legislature advances minimum wage hike to $18 by 2028
Advocates say an $18 minimum wage translates to $16,000 more in annual earnings for minimum wage workers. Hawaiʻi’s minimum wage of $10.10 has not increased since 2018.
Bill to boost Hawaiʻi minimum wage heads to final vote
In the conference committee Friday, the Senate’s latest draft was approved. Boosting the current minimum wage from $10.10 to $12 an hour starting Oct. 1, 2022 then increasing it to $14 in 2024, $16 in 2026, and $18 in 2028.
Bill to raise Hawaiʻi's minimum wage to $18 by 2028 passes out of conference committee
Hawaiʻi Appleseed Executive Director Gavin Thornton said this is a historic moment and "huge leap" in making Hawai’i’s wage livable.
Hawaiʻi lawmakers finally agree on raising the minimum wage
House Bill 2510 also makes a state earned income tax credit refundable.
Lawmakers move closer to final decision on measure to raise minimum wage
Earlier today, a conference committee voted to approve a measure that would incrementally increase the minimum wage to $18 by 2028, make permanent a refundable earned income tax credit (EITC) and incrementally increase the State’s tip credit.
Legislative conference committee passes minimum wage bill
A Hawaiʻi legislative conference committee on Friday afternoon agreed on amendments to the minimum wage bill, which would raise Hawaiʻi's minimum wage to $12 an hour this October and eventually to $18 an hour in 2028.
Measure to raise Hawaiʻi’s minimum wage to $18 an hour gets legislative approval
In a big win for low-wage workers, House and Senate lawmakers approved a measure Friday to raise Hawaiʻi’s minimum wage from $10.10 an hour to $18 by 2028.
Advocates hope lawmakers pass minimum wage bill on Friday
Raise Up Hawaiʻi estimates over 88,000 workers currently earn minimum wage.
Friday deadline looms for Hawaiʻi lawmakers to raise minimum wage
Supporters rallied in events across the islands to urge lawmakers to agree on a final version by Friday. If they do not agree on terms, the measure will be killed. The sticking point has been how much the raises will be and how fast they will be implemented.
Supporters rally to raise minimum wage to $18 as bill advances back to House
At a Labor for Living Wages rally at the Hawai’i State Capitol on Wednesday, Kona Rep. Jeanne Kapela said current wages cannot begin to satisfy the state’s highest cost-of-living standards in the nation.
Don’t let House gut the minimum wage bill
Working families and our economy have been suffering for decades with wages that fail to come close to a livable standard. Fortunately both chambers are finally acting like this deficit needs to be closed. We need them to stand by their promises to workers and our economy, and finally push this bill over the finish line and on to the governor’s desk.