HARRISBURG, PA: Today, Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) made a motion to force the Senate to vote on whether to take up his June 10 discharge petition, which would force HB 2189 out of committee and onto the full Senate calendar. This was not a vote on the discharge petition, but a vote on whether to bring up the discharge petition for a vote.
Senate Democrats voted unanimously to bring the discharge petition on HB 2189, a Representative Dawkins Bill to raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to $15/hour over three years, to a floor vote. Senate Republicans, meanwhile, voted unanimously not to bring the discharge petition up for a vote.
In urging Senate Republicans to take action and address the affordability crisis head-on by raising pay for thousands of workers, Senator Costa releases the following statement:
“On the 20th anniversary of the last time the Pennsylvania Legislature voted to raise the minimum wage, Senate Republicans went on record voting against even considering a minimum wage boost, denying thousands of PA workers a pay raise. The disdain Senate Republicans showed for workers making under $15/hours is astounding and disgraceful. Today’s vote made it absolutely clear that Senate Democrats stand on the side of families struggling to navigate an affordability crisis, while Senate Republicans sit on their hands and allow workers to suffer. Our caucus will never stop fighting for the pay increase our constituents deserve.”
Read more about the Senate Democrats’ Affordability Action Plan here.