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Effort to Put Minimum Wage Hike on November Ballot Moves Forward

picture of a hand signing a petition
KAREN KASLER
/
STATEHOUSE NEWS BUREAU
Petitioners have to collect more than 400,000 signatures by July.

A group trying to increase the minimum wage through a constitutional amendment can begin collecting signatures to put the issue on the November ballot.

The so-called "Raise The Wage"amendment would increase the minimum wage by annual increments to eventually reach $13 an hour by 2025.

The group trying to put the measure on the November ballot got the go-ahead from the Ohio Ballot Board to collect signatures.

Supporters of the plan would have to gather nearly 443,000 valid signatures by the beginning of July in order to qualify for the ballot.

The proposed amendment resemblessimilar measures passed in state legislatures around the country. Democrats have proposed bills to raise the minimum wage several times in the last few legislative sessions, including one that would hike it to $15 eventually. None have moved very far – though a law to stop local communities from increasing the required minimum wage passed in 2016.

Andy Chow is a general assignment state government reporter who focuses on environmental, energy, agriculture, and education-related issues. He started his journalism career as an associate producer with ABC 6/FOX 28 in Columbus before becoming a producer with WBNS 10TV.