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MARYVILLE

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News Brief

April 7, 2025

Nebraska Legislature considers rolling back on voter-approved initiative

The Nebraska Legislature is considering a bill to roll back a 2022 voter approved initiative that would raise the minimum wage in the state. The voter passed measure would raise the hourly minimumm wage by a dollar fifty cents until it reaches 15 dollars in 2026. Legislative Bill 258 would roll back that increase and create a lower minimum wage for 14 and 15 year old workers. Nebraska Appleseed Economic Justice Director Ken Smith says the bill would make it harder for Nebraska working families already struggling to make ends meet.

"This is coming from a group of business intrest who did not oppose the inititative when they had to the chance to oppose the initative and instead of doing that, they are tyring to use the legislature as a means of rolling back these increases.", says Smith.

Supporters of the bill say increasing the minimum wage makes it harder on their bottome line, but Smith says higher minimum wages in other states have proven benefits outweigh those concerns.

"There are business benefits to having a more productive workforce. There's business benefits to having lower employee turnover, and there's business benefits to having consumers having more buying power.", says Smith. 

Three hundred businesses across the state approved the 2022 initiative to raise the minimum wage. Legislative Bill 258 awaits action in committee.