Louisiana families are working hard — and still falling behind.

Across our state, full-time workers are struggling to afford basic necessities like housing, groceries, transportation, childcare, and healthcare. Yet Louisiana’s minimum wage remains tied to the federal rate set in 2009. Even at that time, $7.25 an hour did not reflect the true cost of living for a full-time worker. More than a decade later, the gap between wages and basic living expenses has only widened.

This is no longer an individual hardship issue — it is a statewide economic stability issue. When working families cannot keep up, local businesses suffer, communities weaken, and taxpayer-funded assistance programs expand to fill the gap.

Louisiana lawmakers have the authority to modernize our wage policy. We are calling on the Louisiana Legislature to:

• Authorize state and parish-level flexibility to set minimum wages based on local cost-of-living data

• Ensure that any minimum wage adjustments are indexed to inflation so wages rise responsibly as costs rise

Indexing wages to inflation prevents the need for constant political battles and provides long-term economic predictability for workers and businesses alike.

States that have modernized wage structures based on local economic realities have seen stronger consumer spending, improved workforce stability, and reduced dependence on public assistance programs.

This is not about politics. It is about economic alignment.

Louisiana deserves wage policy that reflects today’s cost of living — not the economy of 2009.

If you believe full-time work should support a stable, dignified life, join us.

Sign and share this petition to urge the Louisiana Legislature to act.