Lawmakers Return To Springfield; 8 Days Before Budget Due
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- The Illinois General Assembly makes what has become its weekly return to Springfield with a state budget still unresolved and only eight days before it's due.
The Senate will meet as a body on Tuesday to discuss increasing the minimum wage and paid sick-leave provisions. Democratic Sen. Kimberly Lightford says there will be debate on her plan to hike the minimum wage to $11 by 2019.
The House will take up legislation to create a private partnership for economic development -- a proposal made by Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. And House Democrats say they'll again take up a local property-tax freeze initiative, another Rauner priority.
Legislative Democrats have a spending plan that is $4 billion short on revenue. Rauner won't discuss it until he gets his priorities approved.
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