Arizona voters overwhelmingly passed a law to increase minimum wage statewide and now a handful of Republican lawmakers want to freeze the bump in paychecks.
They argue that the wage and sick time hikes in Prop 206 have forced employers to cut jobs. They want to freeze the hourly rate at $10.50, which just increased $0.50 at the start of the year and drop the three required paid sick days. Arizona’s hourly minimum wage was set to increase by $0.10 to $8.15 in 2017 before the passage of Prop 206.
Supporters on the Senate Commerce and Public Safety Committee say there's no harm double-checking with voters.
The Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry has already tried to have the law overturned in the Arizona Supreme Court but the law was upheld.
Workers enjoying bigger paychecks and those who pushed to get Prop 206 passed point to improving unemployment numbers particularly in sectors that pay minimum wage like retail and hospitality.
The measure now goes to the state senate, then the House. It would require a statewide vote to alter the law.
