An Act To Slow the Rate at Which the State's Minimum Wage Increases and To Eliminate Cost-of-living Increases to the Minimum Wage
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1913
Senate Amendment SA_A_S536 (Senate)

SENATE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 749, L.D. 1913, Bill, "An Act To Slow the 
Rate at Which the State's Minimum Wage Increases and To Eliminate Cost-of-living 
Increases to the Minimum Wage" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Slow the Rate at Which the State's Minimum Wage Increases' 
Amend the bill in section 1 by striking out all of subsection 1 (page 1, lines 4 to 21 in 
L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'1. Minimum wage. The minimum hourly wage is $7.50 per hour. Starting January 
1, 2017, the minimum hourly v1age is $9.00 per hour; starting January 1, 2018, the 
minimum hourly vmge is $10.00 per hour; starting. Starting January 1, 2019, the 
minimum hourly wage is $-l--1.-0G $10.50 per hour; and starting January 1, 2020, the 
minimum hourly wage is $-1-2-:-0G $11.00 per hour; starting January 1, 2021, the minimum 
hourly wage is $11.50 per hour; and starting January 1, 2022, the minimum hourly wage 
is $12.00 per hour. 
On January 1, 2-0U 2023 and each January 1st thereafter, the 
minimum hourly wage then in effect must be increased by the increase, if any, in the cost 
of living. The increase in the cost of living must be measured by the percentage increase, 
if any, as of August of the previous year over the level as of August of the year preceding 
that year in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, 
CPI-W, for the Northeast Region, or its successor index, as published by the United 
States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics or its successor agency, with the 
amount of the minimum wage increase rounded to the nearest multiple of 5¢. 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, and must be 
increased in accordance with this section thereafter.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment starts the State's minimum wage of $10.50 per hour on January 1, 
2019, instead of on January 1, 2020 as proposed by the bill. In addition, this amendment 
increases the minimum wage 50¢ per hour each year until it reaches $12.00 per hour on 
January 1, 2022, instead of on January 1, 2023 as proposed by the bill. Finally, this 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
SENATE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 749, L.D. 1913 
amendment restores the requirement that was eliminated in the bill that the minimum 
wage increase each year by the percentage increase in the cost of living. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
SPONSORED BY: 
(Senator VOLK) fuSeea~ 
COUNTY: Cumberland 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/21/18 .wac 
LD 1913 
LR 3056(03) 
An Act To Slow the Rate at Which the State's Minimum Wage Increases and To Eliminate Cost-of-
living Increases to the Minimum Wage 
..,,is cal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note for Senate Amendment 'f.:r' to Original Bill 
Sponsor: Sen. Volk of Cumberland 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Reduction of potential savings to State Government and municipalities 
Any savings to either State Government or local municipalities may be reduced by this amendment. As with the 
original bill, actual savings will depend on the existing rates of pay for employees when the reduced increases take 
effect.