Chamber Chat: Maryland Min. Wage Increase Fails in 2026 Legislative Session

SALISBURY, Md. – In this week’s Chamber Chat, WMDT’s John Trout and Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce President Bill Chambers discuss two bills proposed in the Maryland General Assembly’s 2026 Legislative Session that would have raised the State’s minimum wage over the next two to four years.

House Bill (HB) 1229, also known as Senate Bill 886, sought to increase the minimum wage to $25 per hour by 2030, while eliminating the tip credit for workers and amending the state constitution. HB 1479 sought to raise the minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2028, with future raises indexed to inflation. Neither of these bills were passed into law in the current legislative session, but Chambers says he wouldn’t be surprised if they made a comeback next year. 

“As is typical with the Maryland General Assembly, these [bills] were fishing expeditions this session, they will both be back with a vengeance next year. The business community is very concerned about both bills,” Chambers said.

Chambers argues that other states that have raised their minimum wage rates have suffered as a result, citing California’s increase to $22 an hour for fast food workers. Further, higher wages have pushed some restaurants towards employing automated services.

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