AUGUSTA – A bill to increase the minimum salaries for Maine teachers to $30,000 a year awaited Gov. John Baldacci’s expected signature.

The bill won final approval by the state Senate late Friday and was sent to the governor, who proposed the pay hike in his State of the State speech in January.

The bill increases the annual minimum salary for teachers to $30,000 over two years. School districts that are not already paying the proposed minimum would be compensated by the state for the difference over the next two years.

The pay increase comes in two phases. The first increase would be to $27,000 for teachers starting after June 30. The minimum will be increased again to $30,000 the following year.

The state Education Department says three-quarters of Maine’s 233 school districts have starting salaries below $30,000, and 42 percent have minimums below $27,000.