Governor J.B. Pritzker signed into law two measures, SB 1189 and SB 1344, to expand Illinois’ prevailing-wage mandate.

• PA 104-0160 (Belt)– Amends the Prevailing Wage Act. Imposes Illinois’ prevailing-wage mandates and processes on state and local projects funded or partially funded by the federal government when the federal prevailing wage requirement is equal to or less than the state’s prevailing wage requirement.
• PA 104-0023 (Halpin)– Amends the Prevailing Wage Act. Applies the prevailing-wage mandate to sewer inspections that use a closed-circuit television—inspections that require no construction, repair, or replacement. Adds additional penalty provisions to the Prevailing Wage Act.

Prevailing-wage mandates increase costs and administrative burdens on small contractors, making it harder for them to compete for public contracts. The mandates also increase the cost of public infrastructure projects, requiring additional taxpayer funds to build public infrastructure.