# Lincoln Council backs $15 minimum wage despite AG warning  
**Published:** 2026-05-11T23:15:32.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/voters-will-lincoln-city-council-votes-to-maintain-15-minimum-wage/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/lincoln-council-backs-15-minimum-wage-despite-ag-warning

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Lincoln City Council voted 6-1 Monday to restore a [$15 minimum wage for all workers](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/voters-will-lincoln-city-council-votes-to-maintain-15-minimum-wage/), directly challenging state legislation that reduced wages for younger employees and capped annual increases.

The ordinance, introduced by Councilman James Michael Bowers, allows Lincoln to go beyond the cap set by LB258 in the 2026 legislative session and raises minimum wage for teens from $13.50 an hour to $15. The city measure includes annual cost-of-living increases starting in 2027.

The vote comes nearly four months after the Nebraska Legislature passed [LB 258](https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/109/PDF/Slip/LB258.pdf), which changed yearly minimum wage increases from an index tied to inflation to a flat 1.75% per year and lowered the minimum wage for workers age 14 to 16 to $13.50. Lawmakers secured just enough support to approve the measure 33-16, the minimum threshold to modify the wage increases that 59% of voters approved in 2022, including with majority support in 38 of the state's 49 legislative districts.

Bowers previously expressed the need for the ordinance after the November 2022 Initiative 433, which established a path to a $15 minimum wage by 2026, with Lincoln voters supporting the statewide initiative at 67%.

The vote faced a significant legal obstacle. In a 22-page opinion issued Thursday, Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers said Lincoln's attempt at setting a minimum wage would violate state law, calling it "invalid and unenforceable." Hilgers said the proposal is inconsistent with state law because the Legislature has already comprehensively regulated minimum wage under the Nebraska Wage and Hour Act.

Yet council members voted to pass the measure anyway. Councilman Brodey Weber said the attorney general's opinion is advisory and not binding authority, allowing him to vote for the ordinance. Councilman Tom Duden cast the lone no vote, questioning whether voters were fully informed and expressing concern about potential legal costs.

Opposition includes the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, the Lincoln Independent Business Association and State Sen. Jane Raybould, who championed LB 258. The Lincoln Chamber of Commerce opposed the measure, saying it is against using minimum wage increases to raise the standard of living and instead supports policies that foster economic growth.

Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird shared her support for the ordinance, saying "Lincolnites spoke with a decisive voice by overwhelmingly approving Initiative 433 to raise the minimum wage in Nebraska." The ordinance takes effect July 18, 2026.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/voters-will-lincoln-city-council-votes-to-maintain-15-minimum-wage/)
- [Legislative Bill 258 - Nebraska Legislature](https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/109/PDF/Slip/LB258.pdf)
- [The will of the voters matters: Lincoln City Council votes to maintain $15 minimum wage - Nebraska Public Media](https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/the-will-of-the-voters-matters-lincoln-city-council-votes-to-maintain-15-minimum-wage/)
- [Nebraska Attorney General says Lincoln minimum wage change would likely violate state law - 10/11 Now](https://www.1011now.com/2026/05/08/nebraska-attorney-general-says-lincoln-minimum-wage-change-would-likely-violate-state-law/)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/voters-will-lincoln-city-council-votes-to-maintain-15-minimum-wage/.