>Assembly Panel Advances Bill To Increase N.J.’s Minimum Wage and drive more jobs out of the state
Thursday, February 23, 2012
TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats to increase New Jersey’s hourly minimum wage to $8.50 and require the rate to then be adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index was released Thursday by the Assembly Labor Committee by a vote of 6-2-1.
The bill, which would boost the minimum wage as of July 1, is sponsored by Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver (D-Essex/Passaic), Assemblywoman L. Grace Spencer (D-Essex), Majority Leader Lou Greenwald (D-Camden), Speaker Pro Tem Jerry Green (D-Union/Middlesex/Somerset), Majority Conference Leader Gordon Johnson (D-Bergen), Budget Chairman Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson/Bergen) and Deputy Speaker John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex).
During the Assembly reorganization ceremony in January, Oliver announced increasing the minimum wage – which is now $7.25 per hour – would be a Democratic priority this legislative session.