If approved, there will be a new minimum wage rate mandated by state law here in Virginia — with none of this tiered nonsense like the new federally updated rates.

The current rate (which is the same on the Federal level and for Virginia) is $5.15/hour.   Effective 7/1/07, the Virginia minimum wage rate will be $6.50/hour.

Once the Federal rate hits $6.55/hour in mid-2008, the Virginia rate will mirror the Federal rate — and of course, the same is true when the Federal rate bumps up to $7.25/hour in mid-2009.

I jumped at this when I first read the article, thinking that it had already passed, but of course there are several levels that the legislation must go through.  And there was this caveat from the RTD:

A subcommittee of the House of Delegates Commerce in Labor Committee,
however, rejected a handful of bills aimed at increasing the state
minimum wage last week, and the full committee refused to consider
them. That leaves the outcome of Colgan’s bill in doubt, because, even
if it passes the full Senate, it must go to the House for its
consideration.

Maybe it’s not such a sure thing after all.  I’ll keep my eyes open for any follow ups saying whether this bill passes, or is killed.  If any of you hear anything, please keep us posted via the comments!

(More info at "Minimum wage bill advances" at the RTD)