Scored 8/10 on whether it helps or hurts everyday people.
The Minimum Wage Bill
Tennessee would raise minimum wage to $20 per hour
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 9; Title 13; Title 29; Title 47; Title 50; Title 57; Title 58; Title 65; Title 67 and Title 68, relative to wages.
Good for everyday people ·
This bill would require Tennessee employers to pay workers at least $20 an hour starting in 2027, with the wage going up each year based on inflation, giving workers a bigger paycheck and the right to sue if their boss doesn't pay.
Our take
What we think, in plain words.
Right now, Tennessee follows the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, one of the lowest in the country. Workers with full-time jobs can still fall below the poverty line. This bill would nearly triple that floor and tie future raises to the cost of living, so wages keep up automatically. Employers would have to post the wage rules clearly, and workers would get 2–3 years to file a lawsuit if they were cheated. The bill is still in committee, so this is the moment workers and business groups will fight it out, supporters say it lifts families out of poverty and boosts the local economy; opponents worry small businesses will cut hours or jobs. The clock is ticking.
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The facts
What the bill actually says, no spin.
- Minimum wage would jump from $7.25 to $20 per hour on January 1, 2027
- Annual raises would happen automatically based on inflation (consumer price index)
- Employers must post the new wage rules where workers can see them
- Workers could sue their employer for two to three years after a wage violation
- The bill touches 13 different sections of Tennessee law to make sure all employers follow the same rule
- Currently in Senate Commerce and Labor Committee, not yet voted on
Follow the money
Who's spending to push it through vs. fight it.
State-wide; applies to all employers in Tennessee with no stated exemptions
In the news
Scanning the news for this bill…
Headlines gathered from across the news, starting points to explore, not endorsements. Always read the official text before acting.
Sources
Read it yourself: the official bill and records.
This bill is in the Tennessee Bill Book 2026
The best and worst Tennessee bills of 2026, one page each — our take on the left, the bill on the right, and room for your notes. No email needed.
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