(BIVN) – The Hawaiʻi State Senate is proposing an increase in the minimum wage.

Senate Bill 2018 (SB2018) proposes to increase the minimum wage for certain employees incrementally to $12 per hour beginning October 1 of this year, up to $15 per hour beginning January 1, 2024, and up to $18 per hour beginning January 1, 2026.

The Senate Committee on Labor, Culture and the Arts held a hearing on the bill on Monday. Voices from Hawaiʻi island represented both sides of the issue.

Kirsten Alice, speaking on behalf of HOPE Services Hawaii and Community Alliance Partners, testified in support:

“We’re here to testify strongly in support of increasing the minimum wage. As housing providers, we’ve seen that the price of housing has gone up, wages have stayed the same, and that leads to more people experiencing homelessness. The number one reason for homelessness here on Hawaiʻi island is that there’s a lack of affordable housing available to people. Especially our local residents, who are being priced out. As you know, out-of-state buyers and real estate investment trusts, and others, are coming in and buying up property, while … our local people are being forced out onto the streets. So, we strongly we strongly support this measure. We also would ask that you consider an amendment that would eliminate the earned tip credit. And also that we tie the wage to the cost of living in the future, so that we don’t ever get into a place where there’s such a huge disparity between wages and...

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