Maine Governor John Baldacci signed a new state minimum wage into law on Thursday, providing a modest increase in the state’s minimum wage to $7.50 by October 1, 2009. Importantly, the new law also closes loopholes that previously excluded various categories of low-wage workers from minimum wage or overtime coverage.

Maine’s minimum wage now covers all domestic workers – not just those employed by third-party agencies – and all employees of publicly supported non-profit or educational organizations. It also requires that hotel and restaurant workers, previously excluded from state overtime requirements, be paid overtime under state law.