After a successful 2016 campaign to legalize medical marijuana in Florida, attorney John Morgan now has his sights set on raising the Sunshine State's minimum wage to $15 an hour within a span of six years.
Morgan announced his ballot initiative during a press conference on Tuesday in Orlando. He said he hopes to gather enough support to put the issue on the ballot in 2020 as a constitutional amendment.
Within the past year, his law firm, Morgan and Morgan, gathered more than 120,000 signatures supporting a $15-an-hour wage. He said they are hoping to collect more than 700,000 signatures.
Currently, Florida's minimum wage is $8.46 an hour.
Morgan said if passed, Florida's minimum wage would increase steadily over six years, starting in 2021: In 2021, it would start at $10 an hour, then raise to $11 an hour in 2022. Each year, the minimum wage would increase by $1 until the state reaches $15.
During the press conference, Morgan also announced that his law firm will be raising the minimum wage for starting employees to $15. He said that those who already get paid $15 or higher will also see an increase in pay.
"It's going to cost the firm millions of dollars... but it's worth it," Morgan said. "We think it's a good investment and will come back to us."
Watch the press conference below: