The Vermont Senate voted 23-6 Thursday to increase the state's minimum wage, sending the bill to the governor's desk. GET THE LATEST: Download the MyNBC5 appS.23 has undergone sweeping changes since it was first introduced during the legislature's 2019 session. The bill would increase the state's current minimum wage of $10.96 per hour to $11.75 at the start of 2021. The rate would then increase to $12.55 in January 2022. A previous version of the bill aimed to raise hourly wages to $15 by 2024, but was vetoed by Republican Gov. Phil Scott last year. Economists estimate around 40,000 Vermonters stand to see a pay bump if the newest plan becomes law. Scott said he prefers the current version of the bill to past attempts, but is still concerned about the effect it could have on rural communities in the state. "This one-size-fits-all is very difficult when we have two different economies in Vermont," Scott said. "A convenience store in Lunenburg is far different than the convenience store in downtown Burlington."This stance has brought criticism from Senate President Pro Tem Tim Ashe (D - Chittenden), who believes rural Vermonters will benefit the most if the legislation is passed into law.

The Vermont Senate voted 23-6 Thursday to increase the state's minimum wage, sending the bill to the governor's desk.

GET THE LATEST: Download the MyNBC5 app


S.23 has undergone sweeping changes since it was first introduced during the legislature's 2019 session.



The bill would increase the state's current minimum wage of $10.96 per hour to $11.75 at the start of 2021. The rate would then increase to $12.55 in January 2022.



A previous version of the bill aimed to raise hourly wages to $15 by 2024, but was vetoed by Republican Gov. Phil Scott last year.

Economists estimate around 40,000 Vermonters stand to see a pay bump if the newest plan becomes law.



Scott said he prefers the current version of the bill to past attempts, but is still concerned about the effect it could have on rural communities in the state.



"This one-size-fits-all is very difficult when we have two different economies in Vermont," Scott said. "A convenience store in Lunenburg is far different than the convenience store in downtown Burlington."

This stance has brought criticism from Senate President Pro Tem Tim Ashe (D - Chittenden), who believes rural Vermonters will benefit the most if the legislation is passed into law.