Pennsylvania House advances minimum-wage increase after failed tipped-wage amendments

The Pennsylvania House voted to advance legislation to raise the state minimum wage after rejecting a series of amendments aimed at preserving exceptions for tipped workers and training wages. Representative Gleim urged support for a narrowly tailored amendment to preserve a 90-day training-wage period for workers under 20, arguing it aligns with construction-industry practice; the amendment failed on a roll call, 98–100. Representative Ledbetter’s later amendment to protect the tipped minimum also failed by the same margin.

Debate focused on whether eliminating a differentiated tipped wage would reduce take-home pay for servers and bartenders or whether it would ensure fairer compensation. Representative Ledbetter told colleagues the change would ‘hurt tip workers’ and warned businesses would pass costs to consumers; Representative Dawkins responded that the existing tipped-wage structure keeps workers underpaid and said the state should ‘side with the people’ rather than business.

After the failed amendments, the House agreed to the bill as printed. The record reflects several sharp exchanges on economic impacts and regional business concerns but no further agreed changes on the floor. The bill was recorded as agreed and will be reprinted for the clerks’ next steps.

Next steps: The bill now proceeds to the formal enrollment and transmittal process; any additional amendments must be taken up by the Senate or in conference.