Two Democratic state legislators announced a bill Tuesday, backed by a coalition of labor unions and political organizations, that would raise the minimum wage in Wisconsin from $7.25 to $20.
State Sen. Kelda Roys (D-Madison) and Rep. Angelina Cruz (D-Racine) have drafted a bill to raise the minimum wage to $15 immediately, followed by regular increases until it hits $20 in 2030. From then on, the state wage floor would be pegged to inflation.
“About 800,000 workers in Wisconsin earn less than $20 an hour. They are home health care providers, early childhood educators, grocery workers, nursing assistants, the backbone of our communities,” Cruz said. “This bill is about dignity, it’s about fairness and it’s about building an economy where, if you work hard in Wisconsin, you can afford to live in Wisconsin.”
The bill provides small business owners, who employ 50 or fewer workers, more time to transition to the new wage floor. It also raises the tipped wage from $2.33 an hour to $7.50.
The legislation has backing from a coalition of unions and political organizations, including the Milwaukee Area Service and Hospitality Union (MASH), United Auto Workers (UAW), United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), Citizen Action of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Working Families Party and Our Wisconsin Revolution.
“Even if it doesn’t pass this session, we know that elected officials will become accountable this fall,” Roys said. “Maybe it’s the last bill of 2026 and maybe it’s the first law of 2027.”