Welcome to the Wednesday, January 5, Brew.
By: Samuel Wonacott
Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:
- The 21 states that increased their minimum wage on New Year’s Day
- Redistricting roundup
- Illinois Rep. Bobby Rush (D) won’t seek re-election
The statewide minimum wage increased in 21 states on New Year’s Day
It’s a new year—and for many states, that means a new minimum wage. On Jan. 1, as the clocks chimed midnight and people toasted to 2022 (or—like me—slept peacefully in their beds), the minimum wage increased in 21 states. Technically, the minimum wage increased in New York on Dec. 31, 2021, but that’s close enough to New Year’s Day to count for our purposes.
Here’s a summary of our annual analysis of statewide minimum wage increases in the coming year:
- In 2022, 25 states and Washington D.C. will see an increase in the statewide minimum wage.
- In 21 states, the minimum wage increased at the start of 2022.
- In Connecticut, Nevada, and Oregon, the minimum wage increase will take effect on July 1.
- The minimum wage will increase in Florida on Sept. 30.
State lawmakers approved legislation increasing the minimum wage in 12 of the 21 states with hikes taking effect Jan. 1. In the eight other states, voters approved ballot initiatives that caused the 2022 increases.
Here are the 21 states where the minimum wage increased on Jan. 1:
Here are some of the highlights from the year:
- The largest minimum wage increases based on state laws are $1.50 in Virginia ($9.50 to $11) and $1.25 in Delaware ($9.25 to $10.5).
- Six states will increase their minimum wage rates by $1 per hour in 2022: California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, and New Mexico.
- Nine states have passed laws or ballot measures increasing their statewide minimum wage rates incrementally to $15 per hour. California is the first of those states to reach $15 per hour in 2022.
- In nine states, the minimum wage increase is tied to inflation. In 16 states, the minimum wage is rising incrementally to a target rate.
- The average increase based on inflation in 2022 is $0.51 per hour. In 2021, the average increase based on inflation was $0.16 per hour.
- New York and Oregon divide the states into different regions with different minimum wage rates.
Click below to read more about statewide minimum wage increases in 2022.
Redistricting Roundup
There’s been a whirl of redistricting activity since our last update on Dec. 21. Since then, six states have adopted congressional or legislative redistricting plans (or both!)—California, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, and Virginia.
As of Jan. 5, 24 states have adopted congressional district maps, two states have approved congressional district boundaries that have not yet taken effect. Six states were apportioned one congressional district (so no congressional redistricting is required). Eighteen states have not yet adopted congressional redistricting plans. Congressional redistricting has been completed for 274 of the 435 seats (63%) in U.S. House Districts.
Here’s a look at what happened since Dec. 21:
- California: The California Citizens Redistricting Commission voted 14-0 in favor of new congressional and legislative maps on Dec. 20 and they were enacted when the commission delivered them to the secretary of state on Dec. 27.
- Georgia: Gov. Brian Kemp (R) signed legislation on Dec. 30 enacting new congressional and legislative district boundaries. Both chambers of the state legislature had approved the redistricting plans in November.
- Michigan: The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC) approved new congressional and legislative district boundaries on Dec. 28.
- New Jersey: The New Jersey Congressional Redistricting Commission enacted new congressional district boundaries on Dec. 22. The commission voted 7-6 to approve a map proposed by Democrats. All six Democratic commissioners voted to approve, and all six Republican members voted against. The tie breaking vote on the commission was former New Jersey Supreme Court Judge John Wallace, who voted to approve the map.
- New Mexico: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) signed legislation adopting new district boundaries for the state House of Representatives on Dec. 29. The state House had approved the plan 43-23 on Dec. 10, and the state Senate approved the bill 24-13 on Dec. 16.
- Virginia: The Virginia Supreme Court unanimously approved congressional and legislative maps for the state on Dec. 28.
Click below to read more about the status of state legislative and congressional redistricting.
Illinois Rep. Bobby Rush (D) announces retirement
As of Jan. 4, 42 members of Congress—six members of the U.S. Senate and 36 members of the U.S. House—have announced they will not seek re-election. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) announced he would not seek a 16th term in the House. Rush was first elected in 1992.
Twenty-seven members—six senators and 21 representatives—have announced their retirements, while 15 U.S. House members are running for other offices.
- Four Republicans and four Democrats are seeking seats in the U.S. Senate
- One Republican and two Democrats are running for governor
- One Republican is running for secretary of state
- One Democrat is running for mayor, and one Democrat and one Republican are running for attorney general.
Click below to read more about congressional retirements in 2022.