(WJET/WFXP) -- One Pennsylvania state senator announced Wednesday he's planning on proposing another piece of legislation to raise the Commonwealth's minimum wage, which is currently among the lowest in the nation.

Pennsylvania's minimum wage has been $7.25 per hour since 2009, when it was raised to match the federal minimum wage. State Senator Dan Laughlin said he wants to raise it to $11 per hour in the next three years with a new piece of legislation.

Under the proposal, the minimum wage would increase each year starting Jan. 1, 2026, to $9 per hour, then $10 a year later and finally $11 by Jan. 1, 2028, calling the bump in wages an economic necessity.

“This legislation is about catching up,” Laughlin said. “Most employers in Pennsylvania are already paying above minimum wage because

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