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FLORIDA - Florida’s minimum wage is on track to rise to $15 by 2026, but recent failed legislation and new barriers to citizen-led amendments signal growing political resistance to future wage hikes.
Florida’s minimum wage is currently $13 an hour for non-tipped workers and $9.98 for tipped employees.
Those rates will climb by $1 each year until reaching $15 and $11.98 in 2026, per a 2020 voter-approved amendment.
Two controversial bills introduced during the 2025 Florida legislative session, SB 676 and HB 541, would have allowed apprentices, interns, and work-study participants to earn below minimum wage.
Supporters argued these roles offer training opportunities, but critics warned employers could abuse the policy to reduce labor costs.
Both bills died on May 3, as lawmakers shifted focus to the state budget.
At the same time, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a new law making it harder for voters to place constitutional amendments, like the one that increased wages, on future ballots.
Florida is one of many states with a higher minimum wage than the federal baseline.
However, 14 states still use the federal rate, and several others have no minimum wage laws at all.
Though minimum wage laws continue to evolve, the cost of living remains a challenge.
According to MIT, a living wage in Florida is $23.41 for a single adult—far higher than what the law currently requires.
For now, Florida’s scheduled increases remain in place, but so does the debate.