This bill proposes an increase in the state minimum hourly wage, amending RSA 279:21 to establish a new minimum wage structure. The bill stipulates 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 specifies that tipped employees in certain establishments, such as restaurants and cigar bars, must 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 includes a contingency clause stating that the new minimum wage provisions will take effect when the federal minimum wage reaches $15 per hour or when New Hampshire's minimum wage is increased to that level, whichever occurs first. The bill repeals and reenacts the contingent introductory paragraph of RSA 279:21, ensuring clarity in the new wage structure. The fiscal impact of the bill is estimated to be indeterminable for future years, with an expected cost of approximately $373,000 in FY 2026 due to the wage increase for state employees.