A full-time worker earning $7.25 makes just over $15,000 a year before taxes. That is not enough to meet basic needs in 2026.
 
Pennsylvania’s minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 an hour since 2009. Adjusted for inflation, workers earning that wage make significantly less today than they did then. Since 2009, prices have risen by roughly 50 percent, eroding the value of every paycheck.
 
When wages do not keep pace with the cost of living, working families fall behind. Workers struggle to afford rent, groceries, child care, and transportation. Many rely on public assistance despite working full time. Ensuring fair pay is about dignity, stability, and making sure work provides a pathway to economic security.
 
We will introduce legislation to:
• Raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour beginning July 1, 2026
• Provide an annual cost-of-living adjustment so we never fall this far behind again
• Restore the ability of municipalities to set a higher local minimum wage when local conditions require it
 
This proposal aligns with Governor Shapiro’s budget address and serves as a companion to Senate Bill 19, introduced by Senator Tina Tartaglione.
 
Costs have gone up. Our minimum wage should too.
 
We urge your support for this long-overdue reform.