“This legislation is long overdue and I am so grateful to the legislators, business leaders and working Kansans who helped make this possible,” Sebelius said upon signing the bill. “While the state minimum wage only applies to a small sector of Kansas’ workforce, to them and their families, this legislation is critically important.”

“Kansas’ minimum wage is currently the lowest in the nation--so low that it allows employers to legally pay a rate that keeps people in extreme poverty," Sebelius said. "After remaining stagnant for more than 20 years, this wage increase, from $2.65 per hour to $7.25 per hour, will show that we value Kansas workers enough to pay them a better wage.”

SB 160 also exempts employees and employers covered under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. The law will take effect “upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book”, according to the Governor’s website