News

Actions

Florida lawmakers plan to live on minimum wage

Posted at 3:37 AM, Sep 28, 2015
and last updated 2015-09-28 03:37:00-04

At least 18 Florida lawmakers plan to live on a minimum wage this week to draw attention to efforts to increase the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour.

Starting Monday, the lawmakers will live for five days on $17 per day.

That figure represents what a minimum wage worker has after the costs of taxes, childcare and housing are deducted from an $8.05-an-hour paycheck.

The lawmakers — mostly Democrats — will also go grocery shopping with a minimum wage worker at the start of the week.

State Sen. Dwight Bullard and state Rep. Victor Torres are pushing legislation to increase Florida's current minimum wage from $8.05 to $15 an hour.