Governor Dennis Daugaard has signed Senate Bill 177 which sets a youth minimum wage. Voter’s last November approved raising the minimum wage to $8.50 and hour plus an annual increase tied to inflation. Opponents said the bill undermined the will of the people. Daugaard disagreed….
Those favoring the bill claimed a youth minimum wage was proper, because as young people under eighteen learn their jobs, employers will boost their pay commensurately. When the youth minimum wage takes effect, workers under eighteen will take a $1.00 an hour pay cut.