GOP lawmakers OK minimum wage change

Republican lawmakers are seeking to revive an effort to create an exemption to Florida’s voter-approved minimum wage that would apply to workers classified as trainees.

The GOP-controlled House Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee voted 11-6 along party lines Wednesday to advance a measure, HB 221, that would allow people to waive minimum-wage protections while participating in work-study, internship or pre-apprenticeship programs.

Supporters argued the state’s minimum wage, which will rise to $15 an hour in September, limits entry-level job opportunities.

“It cripples an employer’s ability to provide more opportunities for unskilled workers in areas of apprenticeship and education,” said bill sponsor Rep. Ryan Chamberlin, R-Belleview.

When he filed the bill, Chamberlin wrote that the minimum wage “has become a weight on Florida’s economy and a hindrance to workers seeking to improve their personal finances.”

“Wage controls are always enacted with good intentions but lead to a decrease in opportunities,” Chamberlin wrote. “We must seek alternative options like career development and continued education to ensure workers are receiving the skills needed to compete in today’s economy.”

Democrats sharply criticized the proposal, characterizing it as a way for businesses to obtain cheap labor.

Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville, said the bill is not about opportunity but about “getting corrupt corporations and greedy billionaires richer.”

Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, said many Floridians are struggling financially and that $15 an hour — about $31,200 annually — “is not even enough anymore.”

“I understand that there is an ideological opposition to the minimum wage in this body,” Eskamani said. “But at the end of the day, the free market is not going to always operate in the best interest of the consumer, let alone the best interest of the worker.”

Rep. Bruce Antone, D-Orlando, said the concept behind the bill has merit but questioned its practicality given rising costs.

“Affordability is just a huge issue across this entire country,” Antone said, adding that many people cannot afford to work for less while gaining experience.

A 2020 constitutional amendment approved by voters required gradual increases in Florida’s minimum wage. It currently stands at $14 an hour and will rise to $15 an hour on Sept. 30. For tipped employees, the minimum wage is $10.98 an hour.

Current law allows employers to pay sub-minimum wages to certain groups, including workers 19 and younger during their first 90 days of employment and students working part time in vocational training programs.

The bill would not allow wages to fall below the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour.

Rep. Judson Sapp, R-Green Cove Springs, CEO of a railroad construction company, said the proposal includes more safeguards than he would have preferred.

“If there are no opportunities, companies are going to stop giving it,” Sapp said. “Not only is it our job to make money as a company, it is also our job to look after our employees.”

Under revisions adopted Wednesday, work-based opportunities could last no longer than 252 days, or two semesters, for people earning school or college credit. Participants 18 and younger could not earn less than the minimum wage for more than 126 days, or one semester, while earning school credit.

“This just creates a scenario for those who want to enter a specific career and gain strong mentorship and leadership,” Chamberlin said, adding it could be more beneficial than paying tens of thousands of dollars for college.

A similar proposal cleared three House committees during the 2025 legislative session but was never heard on the House floor. A Senate version stalled in the Rules Committee. Sen. Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, has filed a companion bill, SB 1412, for this year’s session.