The California State Assembly passed a bill on May 30 that would raise the statewide hourly minimum wage to $9.25 over the next three years.

The bill, AB 10, is the first minimum wage increase in California since 2008 when it went from $7.50 to $8.

CBS Los Angeles reported that the Democratic supporters said the minimum wage has not kept pace with the rising costs of food, gasoline and other necessities. But opponents argued that minimum wage jobs are often held by teenagers or those who move on to higher paid positions, or that a statewide payraise might increase unemployment.

A majority of De Anza College students interviewed favored the increase.

Jessica Vien, a minimum wage worker at Le Café and full-time student at De Anza said, “Since 2012, Cupertino minimum wage raised about 25 cents more and this (minimum wage inflation) helped me out a lot because now I can save some money for next quarter’s tuition.”

Chung Hao, an economic major, said he thinks the bill is unfair for the people who are salaried workers and workers who earn more than minimum wage.

“I am working on a salary that does not correspond in any way with the minimum wage where I get no benefit from this,” he said. “I am also concerned for the people who got their wage increased by working hard. They won’t have any benefit as well.”

Some business leaders oppose the bill.

“It will be great if my workers earn more,” said Hiro Kim, manager at Sushi Totoro. “But with a bad economy and a minimum wage increase, we are hardly making a profit.”

Currently, California has one of the highest minimum wage rates in the U.S.

Some cities already have higher minimum wages. San Francisco increased its rate to $10.55 per hour in January, the highest in the nation. San Jose’s minimum wage increased to $10 per hour in March.

The bill was introduced to the state senate on June 3.