Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner has vetoed legislation that would have raised the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour.
The measure, which passed both chambers of the legislature in late May, would have raised the wage to the $15-per-hour mark by 2022, but Rauner rejected the bill because of the impact he says it would have on employers.
“This legislation would cost significant sums of money for the very people it purports to help,” Rauner said in a statement. “Illinois needs to be seeking comprehensive solutions that grow the economy and the number of jobs available where individuals can train, grow, and attain better lives for themselves and their families.”
An override of the governor’s veto is unlikely, as the bill passed by eight votes in the House and by seven votes in the Senate.
Numerous candidates for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, including J.B. Pritzker and Ameya Pawar, support raising the minimum wage.
"The fact is working families and our most vulnerable communities continue to get left behind and raising the minimum wage to $15 moves our state in the right direction," Pritzker said when the bill passed.
Governor Rauner also vetoed legislation that would have prevented employers from asking prospective employees about their previous salary and compensation at former employers, and a bill that would have allowed municipalities in the state to sell or transfer their interest in funds received from the state.
