Florida legislators push for minimum wage increase

Two Florida lawmakers are pushing to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour.  Sen. Dwight Bullard and Rep. Victor Torres, both Democrats, have both filed bills SB6 and HB109, respectively, to raise Florida’s minimum wage from $8.05 to $15 an hour.  

Sen. Bullard will soon announce he is taking the Minimum Wage Challenge and will live on the same pay as those living on minimum wage for five days.  "I'd like my colleagues to see that supporting this bill to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour is the right thing to do for Florida's working families who struggle every day just to make ends meet," said Bullard.

The filing of similar bills is a trend across the country. Cities such as Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles have all passed $15 an hour. Even New York City’s fast-food workers are expected to receive a higher wage as well.