KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Supreme Court is ordering Kansas City to put a proposed minimum-wage hike to $15 an hour on the ballot.

Supreme Court judges ruled Tuesday that a vote is needed before judges can decide if a wage increase is lawful.

A group of citizens had collected enough signatures to force a vote on minimum wage in 2015. But the vote was scheduled to take place after the enactment of a new state law prohibiting higher local minimum wages from the state’s minimum wage.

Missouri’s minimum wage is $7.70 an hour.

Kansas City argued it shouldn’t be forced to spend money on an election for an issue banned by state law.

Supreme Court judges say the issue must go before voters before it can be challenged in court.