Commentary: Santa Fe, N.M. – House Bill 442 passed the House along mostly party lines in a 37-30 vote. HB 442, sponsored by Representatives Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe), Debbie Rodella (D-Española), Patricio Ruiloba (D-Albuquerque), Carl Trujillo (D-Santa Fe), and Miguel P. Garcia (D-Albuquerque), would raise the state’s minimum wage to $9.25 an hour, a sensible increase over the current minimum wage of $7.50 per hour. The increase will put more than $3,000 a year in additional earnings into the pockets of many New Mexicans who work full-time while supporting families on a minimum wage.
“It’s appalling when hardworking New Mexicans can’t put food on the table despite working full-time. Too many families are only one crisis away from a complete economic breakdown,” said Rep. Rodella. “Raising the minimum wage supports our working families so they can have more security in their day-to-day lives.”
“This bill will put our state’s minimum wage more in line with what many businesses are already paying, and closer to the wages offered in surrounding states like Colorado and Arizona,” added Rep. Rodella. “It is time we get serious about reducing poverty in our state.”
House Bill 442 also increases the minimum wage for tipped employees from $2.13 an hour to 40 percent of the new statewide minimum wage. The bill allows individual municipalities to further increase their local minimum wage, but bars them from lowering the standard below the proposed hourly rate of $9.25.