Hawaii Governor Signs $18 Minimum Wage Law, First of Its Kind

Hawaii enacted the nation’s first statewide $18 minimum wage law, with Gov. David Ige’s signature of a bill aimed at fighting poverty among the islands’ workers.

The measure, HB 2510, will raise the state’s minimum wage gradually from $10.10 per hour, first to $12 on Oct. 1 and then in increments until it reaches $18 on Jan. 1, 2028. Given the six-year timeline for the Hawaii law, other states could reach or surpass that $18 level sooner.

• The Democratic governor’s signature comes alongside upward pressure on minimum wages in several blue states. Among them, California is expected to increase ...