HARTFORD — Connecticut’s minimum wage is one step closer to going up.

A bill passed by the state Labor and Employees Committee March 15 would raise the state minimum wage for the first time in three years from $8.25 per hour to $8.75 per hour starting Jan. 1, 2013.

The wage would rise to $9.25 per hour a year after that, and indexed beginning Jan. 1, 2015 to keep up with inflation.

The bill was proposed by State Rep. Christopher Donovan (D-84) of Meriden, but the one passed made a few compromises. The original bill called for the minimum wage to be raised to $9 per hour starting July 1, then to $9.75 next year before being indexed the year after that.