Gov. Rounds Signs Minimum Wage Increase
March 22, 2007
South Dakota's governor today singed minimum wage increase into law--contigent on the passage of a federal minimum wage increase expected to happen in July.
PIERRE - Gov. Mike Rounds signed a bill that would boost the state hourly minimum wage in South Dakota - if the federal minimum wage also is increased.
The new state law would raise the $5.15 state minimum wage in three steps until it hits $7.25, possibly in 2009.
But the first increase to $5.85 won't happen until the federal minimum wage is raised or July 1 arrives, whichever is later.
The second increase to $6.55 would come a year later, and the third increase would become effective two years from the date of the first increase.
Congress is expected to pass a bill raising the federal minimum wage in the next few weeks.
The state minimum wage legislation was offered by the governor but was changed by the Legislature to include ties to the federal minimum wage.
The last time the minimum wage was raised in South Dakota was in 1997.
