Democratic lawmakers passed a bill to increase the state’s minimum wage, although the effort might be thwarted again by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who previously said the bump stifles economic competitiveness.

Delegate Jeion A. Ward, D-Hampton, introduced House Bill 1928, which amends the state’s current minimum wage law and increases it incrementally each year until 2027.

State code established in 2020 required lawmakers to reaffirm the minimum wage increases during the last legislative session.

The House and Senate approved the increases but the governor vetoed the legislation.

The current $12.41 minimum wage will go up to $13.50 per hour in 2026, then to $15 in 2027, according to the bill. After 2027, the minimum wage will be adjusted yearly based on inflation.

The increases will provide Virginia full-time workers who earn minimum wage more than $4,000 in additional annual income, according to Sophie McGinley, of The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, who spoke in support of the bill.

“Since 2020 prices in Virginia have shot up 22%,” McGinley said. “More than double what we expected, but wages haven’t kept pace. The math is simple: When a gallon of milk costs 22% more, but wages only went up 3.4%, working families fall behind.”

Opponents of the bill worry the state will be less economically competitive.

Virginia’s minimum wage already is higher than neighboring states, said Ethan Betterton, with the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, during public testimony against the bill. Small businesses could be harmed by the wage increase.

“When labor costs increase, businesses face tough decisions, such as reducing hours, limiting expansion and increasing prices — this can stifle economic growth and opportunity,” Betterton said.

Higher minimum wages also make it more difficult for businesses to hire unskilled entry level workers, according to Betterton.

The minimum wage of nearby Washington is $17.50, while in Maryland and Delaware it is $15 per hour, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. A worker in West Virginia earns a minimum wage of $8.75 per hour, while in North Carolina they earn $7.25 an hour.

“The minimum wage debate has been one of the more controversial issues in Virginia in the last several years,” said  Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington. “You see significant public support for increasing the minimum wage, but you also see some resistance in the business community to higher minimum wages.”

The bill’s patron said that “times are difficult for everyone right now, but especially for college students,” and that’s why Democrats are working to raise the pay to a more livable wage.

“Some of them are working at minimum wage jobs to make sure they can complete tuition, buy books or whatever,” Ward said. “That’s really important, and that’s the reason why we’re pushing it, because you can’t live on $12.41 an hour.”

Other bills to improve wages and employee protections cleared the General Assembly this session, also along party lines.

Delegate Adele Y. McClure, D-Arlington, introduced HB 1685, which amends the current legislation to no longer exclude farm laborers and certain temporary foreign workers from minimum wage laws, according to the bill. McClure’s bill also cleared both chambers of the General Assembly last year, but met the governor’s veto pen.

Delegate Alfonso H. Lopez, D-Arlington, introduced HB 2561, which expands employee protections, including minimum and overtime wages, civil actions and misclassifications of workers.

The bill would allow employees to take civil action against employers who violate wage provisions. Legislation also passed both the House and Senate that will entitle domestic service workers to overtime pay.

The bills head to Youngkin, who has until March 24 to take action on legislation. The governor’s 201 vetoes last year set a new record, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

Youngkin now has a record-breaking total of 242 vetoes, before he even begins to axe the latest batch of bills, several of which are repeats from last year.