Minimum Wage in Illinois Will Not Be Going Up to $15 an Hour
In Illinois, minimum wage stands at $8.25 and hour and in May, legislation passed in the Illinois house and Senate that would raise it to $15.00 and hour. However, there is a problem.
The problem for proponents of the measure is that Governor Rauner vetoed Senate Bill 81 which would have increased Illinois' minimum wage, gradually. By 2022, the minimum wage would stand at $15.00 for most Illinois workers.
Currently, the Illinois legislature is in veto session, taking up measures that passed, but the governor vetoed.
Democratic Sen. Kimberly Lightford of Maywood, one of the bill's sponsors, said she does not feel that there are enough votes in the Illinois Senate to override the governor's veto.
Businesses argue that raising the minimum wage will increase prices on goods to the general public, and will cost jobs.
The State Journal Register reports that Lightford said
I don’t believe we have the votes to override the governor, It’s difficult garnering a super majority. I’m hoping we can reintroduce a bill that can garner the votes that we need.
So, for now Illinois minimum wage will remain at $8.25 and hour. By comparison, the national minimum wage sits at $7.25 an hour.