Watch the above video to hear directly from Hawaii’s business and non-profit community on proposals to raise the minimum wage.

We continue to raise concerns regarding several measures to raise the minimum wage. We hear from members every day that raising the minimum wage would drive up prices and the cost of living—the opposite effect of what these measures aim to do. Restaurants, retail businesses and even the non-profit community shared that an increase in the minimum wage would necessitate cutting jobs and employee hours, raising prices and would force some businesses to close altogether. Those results would hurt—not help—our communities.

Click here to download a fact sheet on the consequences of a minimum wage increase. 

Click here to read the Chamber’s latest testimony.

Minimum Wage Increase Bills Currently Before the Legislature

HB1191 HD1	This bill would increase minimum wage rates annually from January 1, 2020 through January 1, 2024 and provide lower minimum wage rates for employees who receive employer-sponsored health benefits under the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act.
SB789 SD1	This bill would increase the minimum wage to $12.00 per hour beginning 1/1/2020 and $15.00 per hour beginning 1/1/2023. It would also provide an income tax credit for qualifying small businesses to offset the increase in the minimum hourly rate that employers must pay employees.