As we’ve advised in the past, questions on raising the minimum wage were put to the voters in both Arkansas and Missouri this week and unfortunately, voters in both states agreed with advocates and approved the initiatives. In Arkansas, the current $8.50 minimum will increase to $9.25 in January 2019, then to $10 per hour in 2020 and up to $11 an hour on January 1, 2021. With as much as 60% of the vote being in favor, Missouri Proposition B was easily passed by voters and will increase the minimum wage in the “Show Me State” to $12/hour by 2023 and thereafter tie the wage to inflation. The measure mandates the current $7.85 minimum increases to $8.60.