Proposed Minimum Wage Amendment Advances

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A collection of traditional adversaries has aligned to oppose a proposed ballot measure on the minimum wage, but the plan is rolling ahead anyway.

A Democratic-led Senate jobs panel endorsed the constitutional amendment Friday on a party-line vote after hearing opposition from business, labor, faith and other advocacy groups. The measure would let voters decide if increases in the minimum wage should be automatically tied to inflation starting in 2017.

The proposal from Senate leaders is seen as an alternative to putting an automatic escalator in law, making it easy to change. Legislators are primed to raise Minnesota's minimum wage to $9.50 per hour by 2016.