Overview
- The House Labor Committee rejected House Bill 353 on a 7–5 party-line vote, stopping a plan to lift the wage floor to $12 in 2027 and $15 by 2029.
- The bill by Rep. Tammy Phelps of Shreveport also called for automatic cost-of-living increases starting in 2031.
- Louisiana remains one of five states without its own minimum wage, so employers still use the federal rate of $7.25 an hour.
- Supporters said higher pay would reduce reliance on public assistance and stem worker flight to states like Arkansas, while opponents warned of higher prices, fewer entry-level hires, and more automation.
- A Lafayette cafe owner described thin margins and rising costs and said a mandate could threaten her business even though she already pays above the federal minimum.