Proposal for the upcoming legislative session would set Louisiana's minimum wage at $10 per hour, beginning in 2015, up from the federal rate of $7.25 per hour.
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BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A collaboration of groups that advocate for low-income families is asking lawmakers to boost Louisiana's minimum wage, saying too many workers are struggling with poverty in the state.
Baton Rouge Sen. Yvonne Dorsey-Colomb, a Democrat, has filed a proposal for the upcoming legislative session that would set Louisiana's minimum wage at $10 per hour, beginning in 2015, up from the federal rate of $7.25 per hour.
The idea faces opposition from Gov. Bobby Jindal and business organizations who say it would force small businesses to lay off workers or raise the cost of their products and would stifle economic activity.
Supporters of the wage hike say it would provide a direct pay raise for 21 percent of the workforce, raise people out of poverty and pump money into the economy.