In a straight party-line vote, the Pennsylvania House passed minimum wage increase legislation that raises the wage to $15 per hour for some counties and $12 for the remainder.

Introduced by Rep. Jason Dawkins (D-Philadelphia), the legislation calls for employees who are employed by an employer in counties of the “first class” in the Commonwealth to see the minimum wage rise to $15 per hour beginning January 1. The lone county among the 67 in the state classified as “first class” is Philadelphia County.

In 1953, the Pennsylvania state government passed a law that established nine county subgroupings, called ‘classes’, for the purpose of legislating and regulating county affairs. These classes range from First to Eighth, with two types of Second class counties, where the most populated counties are grouped into the lower classes (i.e. First, Second, Third) and the least populated in the higher classes (i.e. Sixth, Seventh, Eighth). The counties that make up each class are determined by the population figures reported by the U.S. Census.

For counties defined as second and third, the minimum wage would rise to $12 per hour beginning at the start of 2026, rising to $13 on January 1, 2027, and reaching $15 on January 1, 2029.

• Second Class – Allegheny
• Second Class A – Bucks, Delaware, Montgomery
• Third Class – Berks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Erie, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lehigh, Luzerne, Northampton, Westmoreland, York

Three smaller counties – Centre, Monroe and Pike, would also be included in this tier.

For the remaining 47 counties, the minimum wage would increase to $10 an hour in 2026, then grow by $1 each year until hitting $12 an hour in 2028.

All counties would also receive an annual cost-of-living adjustment starting in 2029. That COLA would be based on consumer price data from Pennsylvania and neighboring states, as collected by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The minimum wage for tipped workers, such as those in restaurants, would also increase under the measure. These workers are currently paid $2.83 an hour, and the bill would require employers to pay them 60 percent of their county’s minimum wage.

“Using a tiered approach will allow us to tailor the minimum wage to reflect the cost-of-living in a local area,” said Dawkins in a statement. “It’s no secret that a $12 wage in Philadelphia is different than a $12 wage in Altoona. This bill reflects that reality and creates a framework to raise the wage for all workers – and ensure they can afford to live in their communities. Our workers deserve a fair wage for a hard day’s work, and this bill gets them there. I am urging my Senate colleagues to take this bill up and get this done for the working people of Pennsylvania.”

Rep. Seth Grove (R-York), Republican chairman of the House Labor and Industry Committee, disagreed.

“So the reality is, it’s a bad policy for a bad time,” he said on the floor of the chamber. “We can do better. The data reflects it. Letting the system work, capitalism work, pay has never been higher on its own. And it’s a good thing, workers are benefiting greatly by having a worker-geared economy right now. And it will continue to be like that. So let it work. We don’t need government intervention.”

“Raising the minimum wage in Pennsylvania will most certainly improve the lives of many people with a fair and livable income,” said state Rep. Roni Green (D-Philadelphia), who has been fighting for a minimum wage increase for PA workers since taking office. “Increasing the minimum wage will reduce poverty, promote economic growth and provide a financial sense of security for people who work hard and want a decent shot in life. Our workers have watched neighboring states do exactly what they’ve been hoping for from their Pennsylvania government. It’s unacceptable that we haven’t raised this wage in 17 years. And it is time to make it right.”

The vote passed by a 102-101 count and now heads to the GOP-controlled Senate for concurrence.

At least one Republican state senator – Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) – supports a $15 minimum wage, as he introduced a bill last session that would have raised the floor to that figure by the start of 2026.

Pennsylvania is currently among 20 states with a $7.25 minimum wage, along with Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced legislation on Monday to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour.

“For decades, working Americans have seen their wages flatline. One major culprit of this is the failure of the federal minimum wage to keep up with the economic reality facing hardworking Americans every day. This bipartisan legislation would ensure that workers across America benefit from higher wages,” said Hawley.