Remember when Florida voters passed a constitutional amendment in 2020 to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour? Over 60% of voters said yes. In a state that went for Trump in the same election. That's how popular this was. It crossed every political line imaginable.
Well, the Florida Legislature would like to offer you a workaround.
House Bill 221 would allow employers to pay certain workers as little as $7.25 an hour, the federal minimum wage, which hasn't been updated since 2009. The bill passed its second of three House committees on February 4, along party lines.
What HB 221 Does
- Allows employers to pay workers below Florida's minimum wage ($14/hour, going to $15 in September) if the worker is in an internship, work-study, pre-apprenticeship, or "other similar work-based learning opportunity"
- Workers must "voluntarily" sign a waiver giving up their right to the state minimum wage
- Adults can waive their wage rights for up to 252 days (about 8 months or two semesters)
- Minors under 18 can waive for up to 126 days (about 4 months or one semester)
- Workers must still be paid at least the federal minimum of $7.25/hour
- The bill says employers can't "coerce" workers into signing the waiver
The Math
Let's do some quick numbers for a full-time worker:
- At Florida's current $14/hour: $29,120/year
- At the federal $7.25/hour: $15,080/year
- That's a $14,040 pay cut. Per year.
For context, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Pinellas County is well over $1,500 a month. At $7.25/hour full-time, your gross monthly income is about $1,257 before taxes. You literally cannot afford a roof over your head.
But Wait, Didn't Voters Already Decide This?
Yes. In 2020, Florida voters approved Amendment 2 with 60.82% of the vote. That amendment is written into the state constitution. It requires a gradual increase to $15/hour by September 2026, and annual inflation adjustments after that.
HB 221 doesn't technically repeal the constitutional amendment. It just creates a category of workers who can "opt out" of the protection that voters enshrined in the constitution.
What You Can Do
1. Contact Your State Representatives
- Find your FL House rep: myfloridahouse.gov/FindYourRepresentative
- Find your FL Senator: flsenate.gov/Senators/Find
- Tell them you oppose HB 221 and support the minimum wage that voters approved in 2020
2. Track the Bill
- Follow HB 221: flhouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=82749
- Follow SB 1412: flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/1412
- The 2026 legislative session runs through March 13
3. Spread the Word
Most people have no idea this bill exists. When you tell someone that the legislature is trying to let employers pay $7.25/hour in a state where voters said $15, you'll get their attention.
Sources: Orlando Weekly | CBS Miami | WUSF