WEEKLY UPDATE
March 3
Over 35 bills were added to the bill tracker this past week. The bills spanned nearly every category we track. Food Business continues to be our largest category with over 30 bills. In total, we’re following 132 bills already introduced this session with potential food systems impacts.
This week’s committee hearings with food systems bills are below:
Tuesday, March 4
- House Committee on Education
- HB5422, amending the certain provisions relative to school waste recycling and refuse disposal and requires reports of waste audits by educational entities and reports of program participation by vendors.
- House Committee on Judiciary
- HB5447, prohibiting a person to sell, offer to sell, display for sale, or otherwise distribute a farmed animal fur product within the state and provides graduated civil penalties for violations.
- House Committee on Municipal Government & Housing
- HB5686, requiring municipalities to maintain and update a list of CRMC designated rights-of-way to tidal areas in their municipalities.
Wednesday, March 5
- Senate Committee on Labor & Gaming
- SB125, setting the minimum wage for 2026 at $16 per hour, 2027 at $17 per hour, 2028 at $18 per hour, 2029 at $19 per hour, and for 2030 at $20 per hour.
- SB215, commencing January 1, 2026, this act would increase the minimum wage for employees receiving gratuities from the current $3.89 to $6.75 per hour.
- SB310, setting the minimum wage for 2026 at $16 per hour, 2027 at $17 per hour, 2028 at $18 per hour, 2029 at $19 per hour, and for 2030 at $20 per hour.
- House Committee on Labor
- HB5029, setting the minimum wage for 2026 at $16 per hour, 2027 at $17 per hour, 2028 at $18 per hour, 2029 at $19 per hour, and for 2030 at $20 per hour.
- HB5507, gradually increasing the minimum wage for employees receiving gratuities.
- HB5508, providing that commencing January 1, 2026, the minimum wage shall be $22.00 per hour.