Louisiana Had Plans To Increase The State Minimum Wage To $14/Hour

22 states raised their state's minimum wage on January 1st, and Louisiana could've been one of them.  We have all the details.

The Louisiana minimum wage is currently $7.25, but there were plans to change that to $10 on January 1, 2024 and then gradually increase it to $14 by 2028.

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After I graduated high school in 1998, I needed to find a part-time job during college. My aunt worked at the Walmart in Moss Bluff, the current Tractor Supply location, and help me get on as a garden center associate. The federal minimum wage in 1998 was $5.15.  I was hired on a $5.45 an hour, and boy did I think I was making the big bucks at my first job.

Inflation has been killing hard working Louisianans for the last few years, this would've helped offset some of that for some struggling families.

How Much Would The Minimum Wage Increase In Louisiana If Legislation Was Passed?

The minimum wage in Louisiana would've increased $2.75 this year to $10 per hour. However, that's not the ending, it's just the beginning to Louisiana's plan. Proposed bills SB149 and HB374 would have then increased the state's minimum wage to $12 in 2026, and then $14 in 2028.

Jan Moeller, executive director of the Louisiana Budget Project, told Louisiana Radio Network:

The vast majority of the country at this point has figured out that the federal minimum wage of 7.25 an hour is absolutely inadequate but unfortunately that message hasn’t gotten through to the Louisiana Legislature.

Governor-elect Jeff Landry says the state needs to focus more on attracting companies that pay higher wages to the Bayou State rather than raise the state's minimum wage.