Maryland Governor Wes Moore has signed two bills aimed at ending child poverty in the state. The Fair Wage Act of 2023 raises the minimum wage to $15 an hour two years ahead of schedule, benefiting 163,000 workers and 120,000 children. The Family Prosperity Act of 2023, which will lift at least 34,000 children to the next rung on the economic ladder, permanently extends the Earned Income Tax Credit and expands the Child Tax Credit to cover all taxpayers who have children aged six and under with a federally adjusted gross income of $15,000 or less.
“I entered office saying that this administration would launch the most aggressive, the most strategic, bipartisan, all-out assault on child poverty this state has ever seen,” said Governor Moore. “I am proud because this session showed that we can move differently. It showed we can move in partnership. And it showed that once again, Maryland can do big things, and Maryland can lead.”
The governor’s first bill signing is the result of collaboration, teamwork, and partnership with the Maryland General Assembly, resulting in all ten bills authored by the governor in his first legislative session passing with bipartisan support.
In addition to the Fair Wage Act and the Family Prosperity Act, Governor Moore signed into law the Child Victims Act of 2023, removing the statute of limitations on civil lawsuits against sexual abusers. The signing comes after a report by Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown detailed the abuse of over 600 children by 156 members of the Catholic church in Baltimore.
“This legislative agenda makes good on the promise our administration made to leave no Marylander behind,” said Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller. “Beginning with putting Maryland on a path to end child poverty, the results of this historically successful session demonstrate the positive impact of working collaboratively to get things done for Marylanders.”
For more information on the bills signed into law, visit https://governor.maryland.gov/??Pages/bill-signings.aspx.