Apr. 24—CUMBERLAND — The time frame for increasing Maryland's minimum wage to $15 per hour has been moved up and will take effect Jan. 1, 2024, a year earlier than originally planned.
Officials from the Western Maryland legislative delegation gave an update on the minimum wage Thursday at a Legislative Wrap-Up Luncheon. Sponsored by the Allegany County Chamber of Commerce, the event was held at the Cumberland Country Club.
Sen. Mike McKay, and Dels. Jason Buckel and Jim Hinebaugh provided the updates to those in attendance.
Jeremy Irons, member of the legislative committee, posed questions to the elected officials and asked for information about the minimum wage.
"It was originally suppose to go to $15 an hour in January 2025," said Hinebaugh. "The governor (Wes Moore) wanted to make it go to $15 by Oct. 1 this year. He also wanted it tied to the consumer price index and for it to go up automatically every year based on the CPI (Consumer Price Index). That was stripped out of the bill on the Senate side."
Hinebaugh said a compromise was struck, making the increase effective Jan. 1.
Buckel, the Republican minority leader, said lawmakers weren't keen on restructuring the minimum wage increase time frame, which was voted into law two years ago.
"What became very apparent is the Democrat leadership in the legislature really didn't really want to do this at all," said Buckel. "They thought they already had this battle. But Gov. Moore decided he wanted to put the bill in. They...
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