<P> In April 2014, the U.S. Senate debated the minimum wage on the federal level by way of the Minimum Wage Fairness Act . The bill would have amended the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) to increase the federal minimum wage for employees to $10.10 per hour over the course of a two - year period . The bill was strongly supported by President Barack Obama and many of the Democratic Senators, but strongly opposed by Republicans in the Senate and House . Later in 2014, voters in the Republican - controlled states of Alaska, Arkansas, Nebraska and South Dakota considered ballot initiatives to raise the minimum wage above the national rate of $7.25 per hour, which were successful in all four states . The results provided evidence that raising minimum wage has support across party lines . </P> <P> In April 2017, Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Patty Murray, backed by 28 of the Senate's Democrats, introduced new federal legislation which would raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2024 and index it to inflation . The Raise the Wage Act of 2017, which was simultaneously introduced in the House of Representatives with 166 Democratic cosponsors, would raise the minimum wage to $9.25 per hour immediately, and then gradually increase it to $15 per hour by 2024, while simultaneously raising the minimum wage for tipped workers and phasing it out . The legislation was introduced according to Senator Bernie Sanders to make sure that every worker has at least a modest and decent standard of living . </P> <P> In the United States, different states are able to set their own minimum wages independent of the federal government . When the state and federal minimum wage differ the higher wage prevails . As of January 2018, there were 29 states with a minimum wage higher than the federal minimum . Washington has the highest state minimum wage at $11.50 per hour . A number of states have also in recent years enacted state preemption laws, which restrict local community rights, and bar local governments from setting their own minimum wage amounts . As of 2017, state preemption laws for local minimum wages have passed in 25 states . </P> <P> Legislation has passed recently in multiple states that significantly raises the minimum wage . California is set to raise its minimum wage to $15.00 per hour by January 1, 2023 . Colorado is set to raise its minimum wage from $9.30 per hour to $12 per hour by January 1, 2020, rising $0.90 per year . New York has also passed legislation to increase its minimum wage to $15.00 per hour over time, certain counties and larger companies are set on faster schedules than others . A number of other cities and states across the country are also debating and enacting legislation to increase the minimum wage for low wage workers to a livable wage . </P>

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