The minimum wage law will take effect over the Governor’s veto. In January 2007, the minimum wage will be $2 an hour more than the current $5.15.

Nearly 1.2 million New Yorkers will benefit, directly or indirectly, by this wage hike. The Assembly passed the bill in July; shortly thereafter the Senate did it, but the governor vetoed the legislation. The Assembly immediately overrode the governor’s veto months ago, but the Senate stalled for months. Finally this week the Senate overrode the veto, putting the wage hike into effect.

New York State’s minimum wage will incrementally rise from $5.15 an hour to $6 on Jan. 1, 2005; $6.75 on Jan. 1, 2006; and $7.15 on Jan. 1, 2007. When the hike is fully implemented in 2007, the increase will boost a minimum wage worker's weekly salary from $206 to $286, and from $10,712 to $14,872 a year.

Assemblyman Dinowitz stated, "The State Assembly passed legislation earlier this year to raise the minimum wage; and then we overrode the governor’s veto several months ago. After hesitating, the Senate finally held up its end of the bargain by overriding the governor’s veto. This is a very significant piece of legislation – it will positively impact hundreds of thousands of people across the state. I believe it’s the most important piece of legislation that the state legislature passed this year. I am pleased to have supported this and see it enacted into law."