This bill proposes an increase in the state minimum hourly wage and establishes a new base rate for tipped employees. The introductory paragraph of RSA 279:21 is amended to set the minimum hourly rate at $10.00 per hour effective September 1, 2025, increasing to $12.50 per hour on January 1, 2026, $14.00 per hour on January 1, 2027, and $15.00 per hour on January 1, 2028. Additionally, the bill specifies that tipped employees who regularly receive more than $30 a month in tips will receive a base rate of not less than 50 percent of the applicable minimum hourly rate, replacing the previous requirement of 45 percent of the minimum wage.

The bill also includes a contingency clause stating that the provisions will take effect when the federal minimum wage or the New Hampshire minimum wage reaches $15 per hour, whichever occurs first. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025. The fiscal note indicates that the bill will have no fiscal impact on state, county, or local expenditures or revenue.