New Jersey Lawmakers Pass Minimum Wage Hike

Also approve pegging future increases to the U.S. Consumer Price Index

New Jersey's Democratic-controlled Senate approved a bill to raise the minimum wage as a showdown with Republican Governor Chris Christie looms over a provision that would allow annual increases pegged to inflation.

The measure would raise the wage to $8.50 an hour in March from $7.25 and tie future increases to changes in the U.S. Consumer Price Index. It heads back to the Assembly, which passed the measure along party lines in May and must approve a new effective date before sending it to Christie's desk.