HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Connecticut's minimum wage has increased from $11 to $12 an hour under a new state law.The boost in pay, which took effect Tuesday, is a latest in a series of five increases included in a 2019 state law signed by Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont.The rate is scheduled to eventually climb to $15 an hour on June 1, 2023.By Jan. 1, 2024, the wage will be linked the employment cost index, which is calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor.There have been suggestions to delay the increase for a year to help businesses struggling during the pandemic.