Maryland's minimum wage could rise to $25 under new proposal

The Living Wage For All Act would raise Maryland's minimum wage from $15 to $25 by 2030, eliminate the tip credit starting in 2031, and tie future increases to inflation beginning in 2033.

The Maryland legislature is considering the Living Wage For All Act, a proposal to raise the state's minimum wage. Under the bill's timetable, the minimum would increase from $15 to $25 by 2030. The proposal would also eliminate the tip credit beginning in 2031 and start automatic inflation-linked increases in 2033. Sponsors discussed the measure at a committee meeting and said they intend to place the idea on the November ballot. Key details: - The Living Wage For All Act would raise the minimum wage from $15 to $25 by 2030, a roughly 67% increase shown in the bill's wage schedule. - The bill would eliminate the tip credit beginning in 2031 and begin automatic inflation adjustments in 2033. - Delegate Vaughn Stewart, a sponsor, said tips would remain on top of a full minimum wage and that supporters plan to put the idea before voters in November. - Jeremy Schwartz, an economics professor, described the issue as complex and warned of possible employment effects and pressures on small businesses. - Saru Jayaraman, president of One Fair Wage, said a living-wage calculation for Maryland exceeds $30 an hour and argued $25 still falls short of that measure. - Maryland's minimum wage rose to $15 an hour on July 1, 2023, and similar proposals were introduced in 2025 to raise pay and change how tips are treated. Summary: If enacted, the measure would raise wages for many workers and change how tipped workers are paid, a change that supporters and critics both discussed. Sponsors reported plans to place the question on the November ballot; the formal legislative and ballot schedule is undetermined at this time.