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SALT is in solidarity with the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP) regarding economic justice. Please read the letter below from VICPP and consider signing the petition to raise the minimum wage in Virginia.
Today is the first day of the General Assembly. We have been eagerly awaiting committee assignments so we can set priorities for advocacy and get all our messages ready for the Day for All People visits with legislators.
We’re starting to see bill numbers come through for many priority issues and my staff are working hard to review bill language and make suggestions for improvements. You can follow all our priority bills and others we are “tracking” in our bill tracker, which is HERE.
Although I can’t know for sure what bills will be considered first, I’m guessing that reenacting the minimum wage bill will be considered early in the session.The minimum wage bills are HB 1 and SB 1. They were the first assigned and will probably be considered quickly. For a quick review – in 2020 the General Assembly passed a bill to increase the minimum wage bill from $7.25 per hour to $15 per hour in a series of steps. But, a “reenactment clause” was added to the bill requiring it to be acted on again in 2024 to take the last two steps from $12 per hour (where it is now) to $13.50 in 2025 and $15 in 2026. So if we are going to get to $15, we need the General Assembly to pass and Governor Younkin to sign into law HB 1 and SB 1.
Thus, the first action I’d like you to take this year is to tell your delegate and senator to pass the minimum wage bill. Few issues are more important for lifting families out of poverty than raising the minimum wage.
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