The state House has approved a bill to increase the state's minimum wage.  The House voted 89-53, with eight lawmakers not voting, to pass the bill last night. The vote came nearly a week after the state Senate approved the legislation. 

New Fairfield Representative Richard Smith opposes the bill saying all of this gets passed on to small business owners and others.  He says this bill sends a message that Connecticut is not open for business.

Smith cited 85 percent of reports he reviewed that said when there is an increase in the minimum wage there is a reduction in jobs.

The current wage of $8.25 an hour would rise to $8.70 on January 1st, and then to $9 in January 2015. The last increase was in 2010. 

The state Department of Labor says between 65,000 and 70,000 workers in Connecticut were paid the minimum wage last year. That's about 4 percent of the labor force. 

Governor Malloy has said he will sign the legislation.