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HB 5671

Increasing the minimum wage based upon increases in the consumer price index

2026 Regular Session Introduced by John Williams

The bill would automatically raise West Virginia’s minimum wage each year on September 1 in line with the prior year’s CPI increase.

To House Judiciary
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Bill Summary · HB 5671

Bill Summary – HB 5671 (2026) — West Virginia

Overview

HB 5671, introduced February 17, 2026, by Delegate Williams and co-sponsored by John Williams, proposes to tie West Virginia’s minimum wage to increases in the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI). The bill would amend and reenact §21-5C-2 of the West Virginia Code to establish an annual increase mechanism indexed to CPI, ensuring the state’s minimum wage tracks inflation. The bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee.

Primary Purpose

  • To ensure the state minimum wage automatically increases each year in line with changes in the consumer price index, thereby maintaining the purchasing power of low-wage workers over time.

Key Provisions

(a) Current and historical wage structure

  • The bill as introduced preserves the existing framework for minimum wage levels and the interaction with the federal minimum wage as currently described in the statute (including provisions that the state wage cannot fall below the federal minimum and that federal rules govern the subminimum training wage where applicable).

(d) CPI-based annual adjustment

  • The core change: The minimum wage established under §21-5C-2 would be adjusted upward once a year on September 1.
  • The adjustment would mirror the amount of any increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor for the preceding year.
  • This creates an automatic, annual adjustment mechanism to respond to inflation.

(c) Applicability and limits

  • The wages set under this section apply to all individuals employed by the State of West Virginia, its agencies and departments, including those not subject to federal minimum wage acts.
  • The bill maintains two guardrails:
    • The state minimum wage may not fall below the federal minimum wage (29 U.S.C. §206(a)(1)).
    • The subminimum training wage may not fall below the federal subminimum training wage (29 U.S.C. §206(g)(1)).

(a) and (b) (existing structure retained)

  • Subsections detailing historical minimum wage levels and the subminimum training wage remain in place, including:
    • Pre-2006 and subsequent statutory wage floors.
    • Provisions that tie state wage rates to the federal minimum wage when federal rates are higher.
    • Subminimum training wage allowances for certain workers (with age and duration limitations) and the interaction with federal rates.

Who is Affected

  • Primarily workers in West Virginia who earn the state minimum wage.
  • State employers, including state agencies and departments.
  • The bill also indirectly affects training wage programs by preserving existing subminimum training wage provisions and ensuring they remain bounded by federal standards.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Introduced: February 17, 2026.
  • Referral: House Judiciary Committee (status shown in action history).
  • Effective date (if enacted): The bill provides for a September 1 annual adjustment, anchored to the prior year’s CPI increase, but the exact enacted effective date would depend on final passage and signing.

Potential Impact

  • Pros:
    • Automatic alignment of wages with inflation, helping maintain real earnings for low-wage workers.
    • Predictable annual adjustments for employers and employees.
  • Cons:
    • Annual increases could raise labor costs for employers over time, potentially affecting hiring, pricing, or scheduling decisions.
    • Short-term budgeting impacts for state agencies and any local implementations relying on the state minimum wage.

Notes for Readers

  • The bill emphasizes inflation-adjusted increases while maintaining legal guardrails to prevent dipping below federal standards.
  • The exact CPI methodology and which CPI measure is used (e.g., all-items U.S. city average) would be specified in the implementing language consistent with federal CPI calculations.

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

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