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HB 2312

An Act amending the act of January 17, 1968 (P.L.11, No.5), known as The Minimum Wage Act of 1968, further providing for minimum wages.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz and 12 co-sponsors

PA minimum wage automatically increases each December by the same COLA percentage used for General Assembly pay, starting Dec 1, 2026.

Referred to Labor & Industry
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Bill Summary · HB 2312

Summary of HB 2312 (Session 2025-2026) – Pennsylvania

Lawful reference

  • Bill: HB 2312
  • Session: 2025-2026
  • Jurisdiction: Pennsylvania
  • Title: An Act amending the act of January 17, 1968 (P.L.11, No.5), known as The Minimum Wage Act of 1968, further providing for minimum wages

Purpose and intent

  • The bill amends the Minimum Wage Act of 1968 to establish a mechanism for automatic, annual increases to the state minimum wage.
  • Specifically, it ties future minimum wage increases to the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) used for the General Assembly’s compensation.

Key provisions and changes

  • Section amended: Section 4 of the Minimum Wage Act (the section establishing the state minimum wage and related provisions).
  • New subsection added: (a.2)
    • Effective date of initial change: December 1, 2026
    • Adjustment mechanism: Beginning December 1, 2026, and on each December 1 thereafter, the minimum wage under Section 4 will be increased by the same percentage as the annual COLA used to determine salaries for members of the General Assembly under the Public Official Compensation Law (Law of September 30, 1983, P.L. 160, No. 39).
  • Practical effect: The minimum wage will automatically rise each year in alignment with the COLA percentage used for legislator compensation, rather than requiring separate action or passage of a new wage bill for each increase.
  • Effective date for entire act: The act would take effect 60 days after enactment.

Who/what is affected

  • Directly affected: Employers and employees covered by Pennsylvania’s Minimum Wage Act of 1968.
  • Scope: Illumines that the statutory minimum wage will adjust annually based on the COLA tied to General Assembly compensation, thereby affecting wage floors for workers statewide who rely on the minimum wage.
  • Indirect impact: Businesses will need to adjust payrolls annually to comply with the automatic minimum wage increase; workers earning at or near minimum wage would see predictable, annual wage increases aligned with COLA.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduction and sponsor information:
    • Introduced March 23, 2026
    • Referred March 24, 2026 to the Committee on Labor and Industry
    • Multiple sponsors from varied districts
  • Effective date:
    • The act takes effect 60 days after enactment.
    • The annual COLA-based increases begin December 1, 2026, and recur every December 1 thereafter.
  • Enactment steps:
    • As with other proposed acts, passage by both chambers and signature by the Governor would be required for enactment.

Notes for readers

  • This bill creates a built-in, automatic mechanism for adjusting the state minimum wage, removing the need for periodic separate minimum wage legislation.
  • It uses the COLA percentage applied to General Assembly compensation as the benchmark for annual increases.
  • The exact annual percentage will depend on the COLA determined under the Public Official Compensation Law.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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