Supporters of Increasing Minimum Wage Turn in Signatures

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Supporters of raising Washington state's minimum have turned in more than 360,000 signatures in support of a ballot measure that seeks to incrementally increase the state's rate over the next four years to $13.50 an hour.

Supporters submitted the signatures for Initiative 1433 to the secretary of state's office on Wednesday.

The measure also would provide paid sick leave to employees who don't currently have it.

Washington's current minimum wage is $9.47 an hour, but the rate is adjusted each year for inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for the past 12 months.

An initiative requires at least 246,372 valid signatures of registered state voters to be certified, though the secretary of state's office suggests at least 325,000 in case of any duplicate or invalid signatures.