Alabama lawmakers are considering a proposal that could significantly alter pay standards for workers across the state. For more than a decade and a half, Alabama has not set its own minimum wage, meaning employees have continued to earn the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour.
Sen. Robert Stewart, the sponsor of the legislation, says the measure is not meant to solve the broader issue of livable wages, but to address the most extreme gaps in pay. He noted that while the proposal would not provide a true living wage, it would help move workers away from what he described as “starvation-level” earnings.
The push comes as the cost of living continues to rise. Since 2020, the price of basic goods has climbed by more than 23 percent, according to data from the National Employment Law Project, while the federal minimum wage has remained unchanged since 2009.
Senate Bill 171 would establish a state minimum wage of $10 per hour, marking the first time Alabama has enacted its own wage floor. Supporters say the bill represents a modest but important step toward keeping wages from falling further behind rising expenses.
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