Illinois Legislature will deal with prevailing wage.
Veto Session Update
Illinois’ veto session began
Tuesday and will continue for three more days after Thanksgiving: Nov. 29, 30,
and Dec. 1. NFIB/IL is fighting hard to sustain Gov. Rauner’s amendatory veto
of SB 2964, the prevailing wage bill.
SB 2964, which was heavily
opposed by NFIB and the greater business community as well as local government
groups, requires that the Illinois Department of Labor use collective
bargaining agreements (CBAs) to set prevailing wage rates if 30 percent of the
workers in the area were covered by the CBA. In other words, this bill set the
wage rate for things like public works projects to union scale and stripped
local governmental bodies of their right to set their own pay rates.
Gov. Rauner said the bill was
unconstitutional because it delegated a discretionary governmental power to
private parties, such as organized labor unions. The governor’s amendatory veto
message also noted that SB 2964 diminished local control and would increase
costs for taxpayers. However, Gov. Rauner did not issue a total veto, instead
making changes to the bill that would address concerns but still allow CBAs to
be taken into consideration when appropriate.
Lawmakers may now:
- Do nothing, causing the bill to
die - Attempt to override Gov. Rauner’s
amendatory veto, which would take a super-majority vote - Vote to accept the governor’s
changes
The bill passed the Legislature
with “veto-proof” majorities in each chamber, but the fate of a veto override
attempt is uncertain, given the strong opposition from the business community.
NFIB/IL strongly opposes SB 2964 and supports Gov. Rauner’s amendatory veto.
