New 2026 laws from ‘red stripe’ on driver’s licenses to ‘America First’ plates on roads
Historic minimum wage increase as US state becomes first to exceed $17 per hour
- Washington state's minimum wage is set to increase to $17.13 an hour, up from $16.66, making it the first US state to surpass the $17 threshold.
- Other states, including Connecticut and California, will also see their statewide minimum wages rise to nearly $17 an hour, reaching $16.94 and $16.90 respectively.
- Certain cities already have higher minimum wages, and some will implement increases on Jan. 1, with Seattle's rate increasing to $21.30 an hour and suburb Tukwila, Washington, reaching $21.65 an hour.
- At least twelve US states will establish minimum wages of $15 or more, including with voter-approved ballot measures in states such as Missouri and Nebraska.
- In contrast to these increases, twenty other states continue to adhere to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.