Legislation that would give 1.4 million minimum wage earners a $1-an-hour pay raise and then tie their wages to increases in inflation was approved by the Assembly Wednesday night, setting the stage for a possible election-year fight with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The 43-30 vote sent the measure by Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Santa Clara, to the Senate, which planned to vote on an identical increase by Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, on Thursday. Both bills would raise the minimum wage from $6.75 to $7.75 an hour in two 50-cent steps - the first on July 1, 2007 and the second on...