Press Releases

SPRINGFIELD – A local government consolidation measure passed in the senate with bipartisan support. Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) championed Senate Bill 3, which allows voters to abolish or consolidate local townships, reducing bureaucracy and saving taxpayer dollars.

“Local government consolidation is long overdue,” Bush said. “With the senate’s passage, we are now one step closer to allowing voters to decide what type of government can best serve the needs of their communities.”

Illinois has more than 1,400 townships. Currently, only three Illinois counties have a framework to consolidate, absorb or eliminate local townships. Because of Senator Bush’s past work on local government consolidation, Lake County is one of the three counties that allows for consolidation.

Senate Bill 3 allows all 102 Illinois counties to consolidate local townships with voter consent. Senator Bush championed the same legislation last session as SB 388, but the measure died in the House.

“Consolidating local governments will be good for Illinois. It will save taxpayer money and reduce government bureaucracy—two things Illinois desperately needs,” Bush said. “I urge the Illinois House to follow the senate’s lead and vote to allow local governments to consolidate.”

Senate Bill 3 passed the Senate by a vote of 36-14. The legislation now awaits passage of the remaining bills tied to it.

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SPRINGFIELD – Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) joined members from the Illinois Women Moving Forward coalition today to talk about prohibiting businesses from charging women more money than men for the same services.

“Too often women are charged more than men for the same services, while at the same time being paid less for doing the same job. This is unacceptable.” Bush said. “Preventing this unfair business practice will move Illinois another step forward in achieving economic equality for women.”

Bush seeks to make it illegal for hair salons, barbers, dry cleaners and tailors to discriminate, with respect to the price charged for services of similar kind, against a person because of their gender.

Last session, Senator Bush’s “pink tax” legislation repealed sales tax on feminine hygiene products. This latest push builds on Senator Bush’s work to remove economic barriers for Illinois women.

Senator Bush is in the process of drafting this legislation, which she plans to file in the coming weeks.

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SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) issued the following statement in response to Gov. Bruce Rauner’s State of the State address Wednesday:

“It’s time for Governor Rauner to be held accountable for the fact that his refusal to compromise on the budget has taken Illinois backwards these past two years,” Bush said. “Every day that the impasse continues, the backlog of bills grows and becomes even more of a burden to our citizens. The people of Illinois are tired of partisan bickering. The Senate is working hard on a bipartisan budget and reform package. It’s time for the governor to put politics aside and actually start trying to move Illinois forward. Governor Rauner needs to stop campaigning and start governing. ”

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SPRINGFIELD — State Sen. Melinda Bush filed legislation today that would continue an economic incentive program for businesses that invest jobs in Illinois.

Since 1999, the Economic Development for a Growing Economy program has issued tax breaks to businesses who bring jobs and investment to Illinois. Once accepted, a company can re-apply for the program annually. The program has offered $1.3 billion in tax credits to create 34,000 jobs in Illinois and retain 46,000 jobs since its creation. Gov. Bruce Rauner has not proposed an extension to the program, which sunsets Dec. 31.

“I represent an area that borders Wisconsin. It’s important for us to have these programs available in order to be competitive,” said Bush, D-Grayslake. “We all need to work together to make sure we’re retaining and attracting businesses.”

The legislation is scheduled to be considered as the 100th Illinois General Assembly convenes next year.

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