- April 5, 2023
- Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis
- Mel Borja
After years of advocacy and a recent win to strengthen Virginia’s minimum wage, a bill that further guts the minimum wage for minors is making its way through the General Assembly. House Bill 1669 seeks to lower the current minimum wage for workers under 18 years of age from $12 an hour to $9 an hour. The bill, put forth by Delegate Daniel Marshall, harms young people and their families during a time of rising costs that are straining the budgets of households across Virginia. HB 1669 not only fails to recognize that skilled labor is performed regardless of age, but it fails to recognize the purpose of minimum wage itself. This legislative session, lawmakers must do all they can to make sure Virginia’s youth are properly compensated for their labor and reject HB 1669.