An Act To Base Minimum Wage Increases on the Consumer Price Index
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 1809
Committee: Labor
Sponsors: STRIMLING, BURNS, CLARK, CUMMINGS, DRISCOLL, HASKELL, JACKSON, PINGREE, SULLIVAN
Amends: 26 MRSA §664

Legislative Document 
No. 1809 
H.P.1261 
House of Representatives, March 30, 2007 
An Act To Base Minimum Wage Increases on the Consumer Price 
Index 
Reference to the Committee on Labor suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representati ve TUTTLE of Sanford. 
Cosponsored by Senator STRIMLING of Cumberland and 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: BURNS of Berwick, CLARK of Millinocket, Speaker CUMMINGS of 
Portland, DRISCOLL of Westbrook, HASKELL of Portland, JACKSON of Allagash, 
PINGREE of North Haven, Senator: SULLIVAN of York. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §664, sub-§l, as amended by PL 2005, c. 578, § 1, is further 
amended to read: 
1. Minimum wage. The minimum hourly wage is $6.50 per hour. Starting October 
1, 2006, the minimum hourly wage is $6.75 per hour. Starting October 1, 2007, the 
minimum hourly wage is $7.00 per hour. 
Starting July 1, 2009 and every July 1 st 
thereafter, the Commissioner of Labor shall adjust the minimum hourly wage by any 
positive percentage change in the Consumer Price Index from January 1 st to December 
st of the previous year. For purposes of this subsection, "Consumer Price Index" 
0 
means the average over a 12-month period of the National Consumer Price Index, not 
seasonally adjusted, published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States 
Department of Labor designated as the "National Consumer Price Index for All Urban 
Consumers-United States City Average." 
If the highest federal minimum wage is 
increased in excess of the minimum wage in effect under this section, the minimum wage 
under this section is increased to the same amount, effective on the same date as the 
increase in the federal minimum wage, but in no case may the minimum wage exceed the 
minimum wage otherwise in effect under this section by more than $1 per hour. 
Sec. 2. Reprinting of notice. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 
26, section 42-B, the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards is not required to 
modify and redistribute the printed notice required by that section to reflect the changes 
in the law resulting from this Act. The Bureau of Labor Standards shall modify the 
printed notice to reflect the changes contained in this Act when it becomes necessary to 
print additional notices due to an insufficient supply of such notices or due to future 
changes in law. 
Sec. 3. 
Statutory referendum procedure; submission at statewide 
election; form of question; effective date. This Act must be submitted to the legal 
voters of the State at a statewide election held in November 2008. The municipal officers 
of this State shall notify the inhabitants of their respective cities, towns and plantations to 
meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding a statewide election, to vote on the 
acceptance or rejection of this Act by voting on the following question: 
"Do you favor basing increases in the minimum wage on increases in the 
Consumer Price Index?" 
The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall vote by ballot on this question 
and designate their choice by a cross or check mark placed within a corresponding square 
below the word "Yes" or "No." 
The ballots must be received, sorted, counted and 
declared in open ward, town and plantation meetings and returns made to the Secretary of 
State in the same manner as votes for members of the Legislature. The Governor shall 
review the returns. If it appears that a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of the 
Act, the Governor shall proclaim that fact without delay, and the Act takes effect 30 days 
after the date ofthe proclamation. 
The Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all 
ballots, returns and copies of this Act necessary to carry out the purposes of this 
referendum. 
SUMMARY 
This bill provides that, starting July 1, 2009 and every July 1 st thereafter, the 
Commissioner of Labor shall adjust the minimum hourly wage by any positive 
percentage change in the Consumer Price Index in the previous year. The changes in the 
bill are contingent upon approval by the voters at referendum in November 2008.