News Local/State

Illinois House Passes Minimum Wage Ballot Measure

By The Associated Press
 

The Illinois House has advanced 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 by a 71-43 vote Tuesday. State Rep. Naomi Jakobsson (D-Urbana) is one of the bill's co-sponsors.

Passage comes after Illinois Democrats struggled to find votes to increase the state's minimum wage from $8.25 to $10.65 per hour.  

Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn on Tuesday said the referendum will help the Legislature ``get the job done'' as it works to build a majority to raise the minimum wage.  

The ballot measure also may work to drive Democratic turnout in the Illinois governor's race between Quinn and Republican businessman Bruce Rauner.  

The measure (House Bill 3814) now heads to the Illinois Senate.  
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