Baltimore hearing on bill to raise security officers’ wages draws strong worker support and agency questions

Baltimore City’s Labor and Workforce Committee on a non-voting night heard broad testimony for and against Council Bill 25-0116, which would require certain employers to pay minimum compensation (wages and fringe benefits) to private security officers. Chair Jermaine Jones, sponsor of the bill, opened by saying security officers “make as little as $15.80 an hour” and described the proposal as a way to reduce turnover and stabilize a workforce he called essential to public safety.

Council President Z. Cohen urged passage, arguing security officers are part of the city’s public-safety effort and deserve higher pay: “Passing this bill is the right thing to do,” he said. Jones framed the ordinance to let the city’s Wage Commission set an annual combined wage-and-benefit standard and cited federal comparators, including the Service Contract Act. Jones said the bill’s wage calculation would use the Service Contract Act determination (he cited an $18.29 hourly wage and a $5.55/hour health-and-welfare component as the federal baseline as of July 2025) and that the city’s local standard would not take effect until Jan. 1, 2027.

Administration officials signaled support for the bill’s intent but flagged implementation issues. Tyler Schnell, deputy director for government relations for the mayor, said the administration was ready to “work with you to…