JB Pritzker

Illinois House Votes to Increase Minimum Wage to $15-an-Hour by 2025

The plan would raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025

The Illinois House has voted to pass a measure that would raise the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025. 

The House voted by a 69-47-1 margin to pass Senate Bill 1, which passed that body last week. The bill will now go to Governor J.B. Pritzker's desk. 

Democrats who control the General Assembly moved quickly on the bill because Gov. J.B. Pritzker wanted to sign the measure into law before he proposes his first annual budget. That's scheduled for Feb. 20.

Governor Pritzker lauded the bill's passage in a statement on Thursday, calling it a "well-deserved raise" for Illinois workers. 

"Today is a resounding victory for the 1.4 million Illinoisians who will soon get a hard-earned and well-deserved raise," Pritzker said. "Hardworking men and women across Illinois deserve a raise and will get one." 

The bill was opposed by several high-profile groups, including the Illinois Manufacturers' Association and the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, and both groups issued statements condemning the measure. 

"On behalf of the retail community, we are disappointed that a readily achievable compromise was not adopted on such an important matter," the IRMA said in a statement.

The proposal would increase the current $8.25-an-hour base wage by $1 on Jan. 1. After a 75-cent jump July 1, 2020, it would increase $1 each Jan. 1 until 2025. The Senate approved the plan last week . The House Labor and Commerce Committee voted 19-10 along party lines Wednesday to advance it to the House floor.

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Rep. Will Guzzardi is the sponsor. The Chicago Democrat says people making $8.25 an hour are "being kept in poverty."

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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