Minimum wage hike debate hits state

Tennessee is one of only six states without a minimum wage law, a fact that state legislators are now addressing.

The minimum wage in the state currently follows the national figure of $5.15 per hour. That total was last raised in 1997.

Eighteen states already have a higher minimum wage rate than that of the federal government ($5.15). They are as follows:
Alaska - $7.15
California - $6.75
Connecticut - $7.40 until Jan. 1, 2007, when it will be raised to $7.65
Delaware - $6.15
District of Columbia - $7, or $1 above the federal minimum wage rate
Florida - $6.40
Hawaii - $6.75 until Jan. 1, 2007, when it will be raised to $7.25
Illinois - $6.50 for employers with more than four employees
Maine - $6.50
Massachusetts - $6.75, or 10 cents above the federal minimum wage rate
Minnesota - $6.15 for large employers with annual receipts of $625,000 or more; $5.25 for small employers
New Jersey - $6.15 until Oct. 1, 2006, when it will be raised to $7.15
New York - $6.25 until Jan. 1, 2007, when it will be raised to $7.15
Oregon - $7.50
Rhode Island - $6.75
Vermont - $7.25 for employers with more than two employees
Washington - $7.63
Wisconsin - $5.70
Four bills requesting a higher minimum wage in Tennessee are scheduled for a hearing in today's Senate Commerce Labor & Agriculture Committee.

Two of the bills, co-sponsored by Sen. Steve Cohen (D-Memphis) and Rep. Mike Turner (D-Nashville), are identical with the exception of the new minimum wage. One asks for $6.15 per hour; the second, for $7.15.The other two bills, both sponsored by Sen. Doug Jackson (D-Dickson), call for $6.15 per hour.The bill numbers are SB2758, SB2864, SB3110 and SB3120. To view them, visit legislature.state.tn.us.

State lawmakers are looking at several bills scheduled for today