Nursing home workers may soon be paid at least $15 per hour under a state-funded minimum wage increase approved by the Colorado legislature.

The state Senate passed House Bill 1333 in a 27-7 vote Thursday, following the House of Representatives’ 49-16 vote last month. The bill will now be sent to Gov. Jared Polis for final consideration.

“This bill reflects our commitment to nursing homes across Colorado,” said bill sponsor Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver. “It’s, quite frankly, more fiscally beneficial for them to work at a McDonald’s or a Chipotle than it is to work at one of our facilities taking care of our most vulnerable Coloradans.”

Herod said this bill is crucial to assuring Colorado maintains the workforce for its nursing homes.

Nursing homes in Colorado have suffered worsening staffing shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic, losing more than 2,000 workers since March 2020, the Denver Post reported. 

Facilities have also become hotbeds for COVID-19 infections. Indeed, even at current record pandemic lows, there are 34 active COVID-19 outbreaks at Colorado assisted living and skilled nursing facilities, with 1,084 residents and staff members infected, according to state data released Wednesday.

The bill enjoys bipartisan sponsorship and support, but all 23 lawmakers who voted against the bill are Republicans. There was no debate on the bill during the two committee meetings or any of the floor votes in the Senate and House.

“The market should set wages, not government,” said Rep. Ron Hanks, R-Cañon City, who voted against the bill.

Under the measure, $6.5 million would go to the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing over the next two years for nursing facilities supplemental payments. 

Funding could come from House Bill 1247 which, if enacted, will provide up to $27 million in supplemental or incentive payments to eligible nursing facilities. The money, which comes from both general fund and federal allocation, would effectively fund the pay raise. That funding, however, is one-time.

The Senate unanimously approved the bill on Monday. The House passed it in a 59-4 vote last month. The measure awaits final approval from the governor.