ANNAPOLIS, MD – State lawmakers Adrian Boafo and Cory McCray unveiled a significant legislative initiative this past week published by One Fair Wage that would increase Maryland’s statewide minimum wage to $20 per hour by 2030, abolish subminimum wages for tipped workers, and remove state income tax on tips.
Maryland’s existing minimum wage of $15 per hour and tipped wage of $3.63 per hour fail to address the needs of workers grappling with increasing living expenses, the lawmakers said, noting women and people of color, who are overrepresented in tipped occupations, experience heightened financial instability under the current wage structure.
Boafo and McCray revealed new polling data from Fred Yang of Hart Research Associates, highlighting strong public support for the proposed reforms and their importance in light of Maryland’s ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
For example, a key finding from the poll states, “72 percent of likely voters and 81 percent of oversampled unlikely voters support raising the minimum wage to $20/hour and eliminating the subminimum wage for tipped workers…78 percent of voters cite the rising cost of living as a primary reason for supporting the measure.”
Boafo stated, “This legislation is not just about raising wages; it’s about addressing economic dignity and ensuring that all Marylanders can thrive.”
McCray added, “Marylanders deserve leadership that delivers real solutions to address wage inequity and affordability challenges.”
If passed by the legislature, the amendment will be on the November 2026 ballot, allowing Maryland voters to enshrine wage equity in the state Constitution.
The proposed legislation, supporters said, aims to tackle these issues through a Constitutional Amendment and related policy changes, gradually implementing a $20 minimum wage, abolishing subminimum wages, and offering financial support to small businesses.
“This isn’t just about taxes on tips. It’s about ensuring that tipped workers—disproportionately women and people of color—can earn a fair wage with tips on top,” according to the president of One Fair Wage.
