Nevada Assembly approves Minimum Wage increase Despite GOP Opposition

After a 20-minute debate, the Assembly voted 33-8 Monday to increase the state's $5.15 per hour minimum wage by $1 per hour. All 25 Democrats and half of the 16 Republicans supported Assembly Bill 87. Assemblywoman Kathy McClain, D-Las Vegas, was absent. "No full-time worker in Nevada should be living in poverty," said Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas. "This is the right thing to do." With approval, the bill now goes to the Senate for additional hearings. If the Senate approves the bill and Gov. Kenny Guinn signs it, the minimum wage would be $6.15 per hour starting Oct. 1. The bill is identical in language to Question 6, the proposal to amend the state constitution that was approved by 68 percent of the voters in November. Regardless of what the Legislature does, voters will vote again on Question 6 in the 2006 election. With a second approval of the question, the minimum wage hike would be placed in the constitution. It could be changed only by a subsequent vote of the people. Giunchigliani expects voters will back the question when it comes up for its final vote next year. If voters reject the question, however, that vote would supersede a minimum wage increase law approved by the Legislature, according to Lorne Malkiewich, administrator of the Legislative Counsel Bureau. By passing the bill now, Giunchigliani said, legislators would put the higher minimum wage into effect more than a year before voters receive their second chance to vote on the constitutional amendment. Under the bill, the minimum wage also would be increased each year by the rate of inflation, but by no more than 3 percent per year. Workers under the age of 18 would not be given the higher minimum wage. [more]