This bill proposes an increase in the minimum hourly wage in New Hampshire, establishing a new minimum rate that will rise incrementally over the next few years. The introductory paragraph of RSA 279:21 is amended to state that no employee shall be paid less than the federal minimum wage or the following state minimum hourly rates: $10.00 per hour effective September 1, 2025; $12.50 per hour effective January 1, 2026; $14.00 per hour effective January 1, 2027; and $15.00 per hour effective January 1, 2028. Additionally, the bill modifies the base rate for tipped employees, increasing it from 45% to 50% of the applicable minimum hourly rate.

Furthermore, the bill 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 $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.