Voters will be not be asked in November to approve a measure backed by Republicans that raises the minimum wage while blocking municipalities from raising minimum pay through local ordinances.
The House was narrowly rejecting the measure late Friday, but then a landslide of no votes left just 6 supporters as Republican members realized it was failing. The Senate had passed HCR 2014 earlier.
The measure would have set the minimum wage at $9.50 by 2020 with annual inflation adjustments, but decrease the proportion of wages tipped employees earn. Cities, towns and counties would lose their current ability to set minimum wages higher than the state minimum.
Republicans say it's necessary to protect business owners from larger wage increases proposed in a separate citizen initiatives now circulating.
