Welch, House Democrats Strengthen Illinois’ Equal Pay Law Against Trump Assault

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch is protecting the right to equal pay for equal work with a new law pushing back on the Trump Administration’s efforts to undermine fair wage rules.

“Donald Trump is attacking workers’ rights on every front with one goal: He is forcing people to work for less, demanding they settle for less, and ensuring they achieve less,” Welch said. “That’s not something we accept in Illinois, where we’ve fought hard to stop wage discrimination. So once again, we are taking charge of what we can and charting a better path for our state, our communities, and our families.”

One of the first orders issued by Trump after taking office in January unilaterally reversed decades of progress on equal pay by rolling back requirements that large corporations must report workforce data needed to monitor that all employees are paid fairly regardless of race and gender. This data has been critical in enforcement of equal pay laws and provided evidence women and people of color have needed to legally substantiate cases of wage discrimination.

Welch and House Democrats have pushed back by passing House Bill 2488. This measure ensures that Illinois' equal pay protections are not tied to federal policies, and guarantees large businesses will still report this equal pay data to the state. The bill was signed into law Monday by Gov. JB Pritzker.

Welch Announces Nearly $275,000 in New Funding for Programming, Materials at Local Libraries

WESTCHESTER, Ill. – As the federal government rushes to slam through severe cuts to a number of critical services including local library budgets, Illinois is delivering nearly $275,000 in new funding for programming and materials at libraries in Bellwood, Broadview, Hillside, Forest Park, Maywood, Oak Brook, and Westchester because of the fiscally and socially responsible state budget enacted by House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch. 

“Our public libraries make a world of knowledge and resources available to everyone—no matter their backgrounds or incomes—so investing in our libraries is about investing in a future where everyone has opportunity,” Welch said. “Extremists in Washington who want to slash that funding in order to pay for tax cuts for billionaires are showing where their priorities lie, and here in Illinois we’re showing that we’re going to continue moving our communities in a better direction.” 

The budget passed by Welch this spring includes millions of dollars in funding to libraries across the state to support quality resources, materials, and programming. Welch and Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced $20 million in grants for libraries across Illinois, including:

Bellwood Public Library $27,713.78

Broadview Public Library District $11,797.05

Hillside Public Library $12,272.00

Forest Park Public Library $21,150.03

Maywood Public Library District $34,762.80

Oak Brook Public Library $12,040.43

Westchester Public Library $24,915.70

The Hillside Public Library will also receive an additional $125,000 grant to help fund new construction.