S.C. lawmaker wants minimum wage raised to $10 an hour

ROCK HILL, S.C. — A South Carolina lawmaker has proposed a bill to raise the state minimum wage to at least $10 an hour.

Eyewitness News spoke to some people who say it is needed, and others who say it could hurt their business.

Restaurant owner Leo Gomez is one of those who says it will hurt his business. He has worked in the food industry for more than 15 years.

When Eyewitness News told him about a lawmaker's plan to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $10 an hour, he immediately thought about the cost to his business.

"We'd have to increase everything, and people get upset if we raise the prices," he said.

Other people said those who get paid minimum wage deserve to make more.

"People are struggling and they really need help," said Karla Sanders.

The bill proposing the $2.75 wage increase was prefiled in the House Tuesday by Orangeburg, S.C., Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter. 

The bill is now in the House Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry.

Lawmakers will consider the bill when the South Carolina legislative session begins in January.

WSOC