The state Senate passed a billed from San Francisco Senator Mark Leno that would raise the state's minimum wage next year. The minimum wage would go from $9 an hour to $11 starting on January 1. By 2017, the minimum wage would hit $13 an hour. Leno, a Democrat, said the bill was necessary because nearly a quarter of the state's 38 million residents live in poverty. Republicans who opposed the bill said it would force businesses to lay off workers.
State Senate Advances Minimum Wage Boost
![](https://ww2.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/01/GettyImages-896326950-520x311.jpg)
Sponsored