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Last Action

Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House2026-04-28

Vote Breakdown

No floor votes recorded.

Plain Language Summary

This bill raises North Carolina's minimum wage to $15 per hour (with a lower $11 per hour rate for small businesses under $400,000 annual revenue) and automatically adjusts it yearly for inflation. It creates a Wage Board to study wage standards, allows local governments to set higher minimum wages, and establishes a Short-Time Compensation program to help employers reduce hours instead of laying off workers.

Arguments in Favor

• •Supporters argue this bill helps workers afford housing, food, healthcare, and other necessities as costs rise, while automatic inflation adjustments reduce the need for repeated legislative action.
• •They contend the Short-Time Compensation program preserves jobs during economic downturns, the Wage Board ensures competitive wages, and allowing local minimum wages lets communities address their specific economic conditions.

Arguments Against

• •Opponents argue a $15 minimum wage may burden small businesses with higher labor costs, potentially leading to job cuts, reduced hours, or price increases that hurt consumers.
• •They express concern that automatic inflation adjustments remove legislative oversight, and that eliminating state preemption of local wages creates a patchwork of rules that complicates business operations across county lines.