SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – A House committee plans to hear Democrats’ plans to increase the Illinois minimum wage to $15 over six years.
The Labor and Commerce Committee has scheduled a Wednesday afternoon hearing on Chicago Democratic Rep. Will Guzzardi’s legislation.
The plan would bump the $8.25-an-hour rate to $9.25 on Jan. 1. After moving to $10 on July 1, 2020, it would increase $1 each Jan. 1 until 2025 .
Major business interests oppose the pace of the phase-in. They prefer a tiered approach with lower hourly rates in regions outside Chicago with lower costs of living.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker opposes that approach. He campaigned on a $15 minimum wage and told Democrats controlling the Legislature he wants to sign it into law before his Feb. 20 budget address.
The bill is SB1 .
