State bill would raise Minimum Wage

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A bill pending in the Legislature would establish a gradually increasing minimum wage in Alabama. WAKA-TV reports Alabama is one of five states without any minimum wage law, but legislation in the House would change that. The bill would allow Alabama to set its own minimum wage instead of relying on the federal government. The current minimum wage set by the federal government is $7.25 an hour. The bill would gradually increase the minimum wage in Alabama to $9.80 an hour by 2016. Democratic state Rep. Daario Melton of Selma wants Alabama to take control of the state's wage. He says the measure would help the working poor. But Republican Gov. Robert Bentley says he'd rather bring in more high-paying jobs than raise the minimum wage.