BATON ROUGE -- The House Labor Committee voted 7-5 along party lines to kill a bill that would have established a state minimum wage starting at $12 an hour on Jan. 1, 2027. 

Republicans voted against the bill, and Democrats supported it. The party split was similar to votes in most years since former Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, began trying to set a wage above the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour.

Louisiana is one of five states in the U.S. that does not have a state minimum wage. Instead, employers use the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour that was set in 2009. 

The bill, House Bill 353, by Rep. Tammy Phelps, D-Shreveport, would have further raised the minimum wage to $15 an hour in 2029 and included cost of living increases starting in 2031.

Supporters of the bill voiced concerns about the effect of low wages on residents’ ability to deal with increased prices for necessities, like groceries and gas, and on economic development. Some said Louisiana has lost talent to neighboring states that offer higher wages. Arkansas raised its minimum wage to $11 in 2021.

Advocates also argue that keeping wages low forces workers to rely on public assistance, effectively shifting costs onto taxpayers.

“By keeping wages low, we keep residents on social benefits,” said Melissa Flournoy, the chairwoman of 10,000 Women Louisiana, a civic advocacy group.

Testimony in favor of the bill came from a range of people, with strong support from members of the NAACP. A young activist, Caitlin Peoples, took the witness stand and said, “I may be 10 years old, but I know that work should be a chance to live, not just survive.”

Opponents argued that setting a higher minimum wage could cause a ripple effect that would harm business and employment.

Rep. Roger Wilder III, R-Denham Springs, said a higher minimum wage could lead to higher prices for consumers, reduced hiring and increased automation of entry level jobs. 

Wilder pointed to examples like California, where, he said, 18,000 jobs were lost following wage hikes and a rise in automation replacing entry-level jobs.

Leah Long, the Louisiana and Mississippi director of the National Federation of Independent Business stated, “Minimum wage is not supposed to be a living wage. If anything, it is an inspiration for someone to improve to earn a higher wage.” 

Rep. Brian Glorioso, R-Slidell, argued that improving workforce training and education is a more effective solution to poverty.

At its core, the debate at the hearing reflected a larger question: Should the minimum wage be a living wage or a starting point that incentivizes upward mobility?

Supporters argued that Louisiana workers deserve wages that lift them out of poverty and reduce reliance on government assistance.

Opponents contended that artificially raising wages could increase consumer prices and hurt small businesses. 

Some polling indicates that four out of every five Louisiana residents support a higher minimum wage.