Santa Monica is eyeing a big bump for some of its most essential workers, with the City Council instructing staff to draw up a local minimum-wage law that would set at least $25 an hour for frontline health care employees. Backers say the move could shore up a strained workforce in hospitals, clinics, psychiatric facilities and in-home care, while skeptics argue that state law may already cover much of that territory.
Council Directs Staff To Draft Ordinance
As reported by the Santa Monica Mirror, council members voted by acclamation to have city staff research and draft the proposal. Mayor Gleam Davis placed the item on the agenda, with Councilmembers Phil Brock and Jesse Zwick signing on as co-sponsors. Supporters framed the measure as a response to ongoing staffing and pay gaps, even as some council members warned that any local action could ultimately be overtaken by what the state is already doing.
State Law Already Moving The Needle
At the state level, Senate Bill 525, enacted in 2023, sets up tiered minimum wages for covered health care employees and gradually moves many employers toward a $25-per-hour floor, according to SB 525. The law also includes language that limits local governments from putting conflicting wage rules on covered facilities, and some of its wage steps are scheduled to kick in as early as June 1, 2026.
Where Santa Monica’s Numbers Stand
The city’s official minimum-wage information lists the general minimum at $17.81 an hour, rising to $18.47 on July 1, 2026, while hotel-worker rates are set to reach $25 on July 1, 2026 under local rules, according to the City of Santa Monica. Those local minimums adjust annually and remain separate from the state health care wage schedules, which apply only to health care employers that fall under SB 525.
Hospitals Warn Rising Costs Could Squeeze Care
Hospital industry leaders are not exactly cheering the wage step-up. They have warned that the higher minimums could put additional strain on already fragile facilities and potentially force cutbacks in services. The California Hospital Association cautioned that hospitals were “teetering on the edge of a financial cliff” as lawmakers weighed the bill.
Councilmember Caroline Torosis, who backed the local proposal, questioned whether providers were doing enough for the workers on the front lines and urged colleagues to focus on protecting local staff. “I want to make sure that workers are even getting a modicum of what they need to live in this city,” she said, according to the Santa Monica Mirror.
What Comes Next
City staff will now dig into the details, refine draft language and bring a proposed ordinance back to the council for formal debate and a potential vote, local reporting indicates. With state increases for many health care employers scheduled to ramp up this summer, city leaders will have to decide whether a Santa Monica-specific rule should target workers left out of SB 525’s definitions or effectively mirror what the state has already put in place, per reporting by Surf Santa Monica.
Legal Implications
Because SB 525 sets statewide standards and creates a waiver process, any Santa Monica ordinance will have to navigate questions about preemption, enforcement and how state waivers would interact with local rules. The California Department of Industrial Relations Health Care Worker FAQ outlines how the state intends to enforce the new minimums and how covered facilities can seek waivers.
