Illinois State Lawmakers Set To Receive Automatic Pay Increase Despite Millions Of Residents Out Of Work From Shutdown

(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Illinois state lawmakers are in line for a pay raise. 

 

In 2014, Democrats passed a law saying lawmaker pay increases must wait a year before payments can stop, called a "continuing appropriation." 

 

Regardless, lawmakers are automatically getting a $1,800 pay increase, bringing their part-time salary to $71,000 a year — the highest in the U.S. State lawmakers already earn the fifth-highest base salary in the nation, according to a 2019 analysis by the National Conference of State Legislatures. They currently make over $65,000 annually, behind California, New York, Michigan, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. 

 

But Gov. said he does not think legislators will get a raise this year. Instead, he said hospitals received $3.8 billion of funding from passed legislation in recent days to continue to fight coronavirus. Other priorities include increased unemployment eligibility and expanding workers' compensation protections as well as $500 million to rental and mortgage assistance, help with utilities and homelessness prevention.

 

Illinois has seen over 1 million people lose their jobs and file for unemployment due to the pandemic. 

 

Three House Democrats joined Republicans to vote against the budget implementation bill because of the cost of living increase.