Beshear raises minimum wage for some Kentucky state workers

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – About 800 state workers in Kentucky will get a raise after Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear decided to increase the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour.

The increase affects only workers in the executive branch of state government and will cost taxpayers about $1.6 million. The current minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. Tipped workers in state parks will be paid $4.90 per hour, up from the current $2.19 per hour. Private companies with state service contracts will have to pay their workers at least $10.10 per hour. But that won’t take effect until the current contracts come up for renewal.

Beshear said about a third of the affected employees work in state nursing homes caring for military veterans. Most of the other affected workers work in behavioral health centers and state parks.