House Panel Advances Illinois Minimum Wage Ballot Question

An Illinois House panel has approved House Speaker Michael Madigan's plan to ask voters whether the state should increase the minimum wage to $10 an hour.

The plan to put a nonbinding question on the November ballot passed the House Revenue Committee by a 12-7 party line vote Friday. It comes after Illinois Democrats have struggled to find enough votes to increase the state's minimum wage from $8.25 to $10.65 per hour.
 
Some Democrats in swing districts joined Republicans in resisting the effort, amid fears that companies might lay off workers or hire fewer new ones.
 
Madigan noted "differences of opinion'' among members Friday when he presented the proposal. 
 
He said it's "clear the state needs to be doing more to reduce economic inequality.''