"Workers need a living wage"

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Cahokia) released the following statement today regarding his vote to increase the state minimum wage to $15 by 2025.

If approved and signed by the governor, it would be the first minimum wage increase in Illinois in a decade.

“Raising the minimum wage to $15 will help our workers better support our economy,” said Belt, who is a co-sponsor of the measure. “We cannot expect workers or individuals who have to pay back student loans to be able to afford the cost of living when they only make $8.25.”

Under the proposal, the state’s minimum hourly wage of $8.25 would increase incrementally to $15 per hour between now and 2025. The legislation, Senate Bill 1, also call for a tax credit to help businesses that employ fewer than 50 workers offset the wage increase.
SB 1 increases the state’s minimum hourly wage according to the following schedule:

Current $8.25
Jan. 1, 2020 $9.25
July 1, 2020 $10.00
Jan. 1, 2021 $11.00
Jan. 1, 2022 $12.00
Jan. 1, 2023 $13.00
Jan. 1, 2024 $14.00
Jan. 1, 2025 $15.00

SB 1 increases the teen/youth minimum wage for employees who work less than 650 hours in a calendar year, according to the following schedule:

Current $7.75
Jan. 1, 2020 $8.00
Jan. 1, 2021 $8.50
Jan. 1, 2022 $9.25
Jan. 1, 2023 $10.50
Jan. 1, 2024 $12.00
Jan. 1, 2025 $13.00

The Senate approved the measure today in a 39-18 vote. The bill now will move to the House for consideration.