Experts are weighing in on why they think Governor Glenn Youngkin shot down the House and Senate bills to raise the minimum wage.
The bills would have raised the current $12 an hour minimum wage to $13.50 by 2025, and $15 by 2026.
In his explanation, Youngkin said the bills would put market freedom and economic competitiveness at risk.
Experts said his decision is most likely due to a potential negative impact on rural Virginians and small businesses.
“An argument that one could say is that companies up and down the country have not needed the government to tell them how much they need to pay to valuable employees,” Associate Professor of Public Policy at Virginia Tech Dr. David Bieri said.
In addition to the minimum wage bill, Governor Youngkin took action on more than 100 other bills.