OVERVIEW
Legislation moving in the Maryland General Assembly would raise the state’s minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2028 and then require automatic annual increases every year after that, tied to inflation. For Maryland employers, this represents both a significant near-term cost increase and a structural shift in how wage policy is set.
Sample Testimony Letter - Opposition to HB 1479.docx
March 5, 2026
Opposition to [House Bill 1479] – Labor and Employment – Minimum Wage – Increase (Maryland Raise the Wage Act)
To the Members of the Government, Labor, and Elections Committee:
My name is [Name], and I am the [owner/operator/title] of [Business Name] in [City], Maryland. We employ [X] people.
I respectfully oppose HB 1479 because it combines a significant wage increase with permanent automatic escalators that will directly affect our ability to hire and grow. HB 1479 would raise the minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2028 and then require automatic annual increases tied to inflation, with no authority to pause those increases even during an economic downturn.
For our business, this would mean approximately [estimated annual cost increase or % payroll increase] in additional payroll costs. To manage that level of mandated cost growth, we would need to:
These are real tradeoffs. They affect job availability, advancement opportunities and long-term growth in our community.