Thanks to a boost in the federal minimum wage, Montana's minimum wage will go to $6.55 an hour from the current $6.25. It's the second increase in the state minimum wage this year. It went from $6.15 an hour to $6.25 on Jan. 1 because of a 2006 state initiative, approved 73% to 27%, that raised it and provided annual cost-of-living adjustments.

There will be another state cost-of-living adjustment to raise the minimum wage on Jan. 1, 2009, and the federal minimum wage will go to $7.25 an hour on July 24, 2009.