This bill proposes an increase in the state minimum hourly wage, amending RSA 279:21 to establish a new minimum wage structure. The new legal language specifies that, unless otherwise provided by statute, no employee shall be paid less than the federal minimum wage or the following rates: $12 per hour from September 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, and $15 per hour from July 1, 2026, onward. Additionally, it includes provisions for tipped employees in certain establishments, ensuring they receive a base rate of at least 45% of the applicable minimum wage. If an employee's total wages do not meet the $15 per hour threshold, the employer is required to compensate the difference.

The bill also repeals and reenacts the contingent introductory paragraph of RSA 279:21, which maintains the same minimum wage structure but clarifies that the new rates will take effect either when the federal minimum wage reaches $15 per hour or when the state minimum wage is increased to that level, whichever occurs first. The bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025, with the fiscal impact estimated to be indeterminable for future years, although an increase in expenditures of approximately $373,000 is anticipated for FY 2026 due to the wage adjustments for state employees.