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Alabama Law Blocks Cities From Setting Their Own Minimum Wage

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Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley speaks during the annual State of the State address at the Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016, in Montgomery, Ala. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley speaks during the annual State of the State address at the Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016, in Montgomery, Ala. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

People in Birmingham, Alabama, who earn the minimum wage were set to get a significant increase, from $7.25 an hour to $8.50 this summer, and to $10.10 by next summer. That is, until the state stepped in.

The Alabama legislature this week fast-tracked a bill to prevent cities and towns from setting their own minimum wage, and Gov. Robert Bentley signed it into law yesterday.

Here & Now's Meghna Chakrabarti talks with Michael Regan, columnist for Bloomberg Gadfly, about why the state moved to block Birmingham from increasing the minimum wage.

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This segment aired on February 26, 2016.

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