SPRINGFIELD – Senator Melinda Bush’s (D-Grayslake) measure to increase transparency in pricing among service providers and expose gender-based price discrimination was signed into law today.

Senate Bill 298 requires hair salons, barbers, dry cleaners and tailors to provide customers with a price list for services upon request, giving consumers the resources necessary to make educated choices when deciding which businesses to frequent.

“Women have been unfairly charged more than men for the same services for far too long,” Bush said. “Transparent pricing among service providers will help women know whether they are getting a fair deal for services.”

Dry cleaners, barbers and tailors have frequently been examined in studies on gender-based pricing and have been found to charge women more than men for the same services.

“My hope is that this new law will make service providers take a second look at their prices and charge women more fairly,” Bush said.

Last year, Senator Bush’s “pink tax” legislation repealed sales tax on feminine hygiene products.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

Senate Bill 298 takes effect on January 1, 2018.

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SPRINGFIELD – Voters will soon have the power to consolidate or abolish local townships thanks to a local government consolidation measure championed by Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake), which was signed into law today.

“Local government consolidation is long overdue,” Bush said. “Voters will soon be able to decide what type of government can best serve the needs of their communities.”

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

The legislation allows all 102 Illinois counties to consolidate local townships with voter consent. Bush championed the same legislation during the 99th General Assembly as SB 388, but the measure died in the House.

“Consolidating local governments is good for Illinois. It saves taxpayer money and reduces government bureaucracy—two things Illinois desperately needs,” Bush said.

Senate Bill 3 was signed into law today. The bill takes effect on January 1, 2018.

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SPRINGFIELD — Illinois is one step closer to reinstating an important incentive program for attracting and retaining businesses, thanks to a measure from Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake).

House Bill 162 reinstates the Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) program, allowing the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to offer tax credits to businesses that invest in Illinois.

“We need every tool possible to attract and retain businesses in Illinois and ensure we can offer incentives that allow us to compete with neighboring states,” Bush said. “I represent an area that borders Wisconsin. It’s important for us to have the EDGE program in place in order to stay competitive.”

The bill requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to recapture the economic development funds if the recipient does not fulfill their end of the bargain. That money would then be disbursed to the local workforce investment area.

The measure extends the EDGE credit program through June 30, 2022.

Having passed both the House and Senate, House Bill 162 now goes to the governor for approval.

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SPRINGFIELD — Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) issued the following statement in response to the Senate’s vote to override the governor’s amendatory veto of Senate Bill 1:

“Governor Rauner’s amendatory veto of Senate Bill 1 was a short-sighted political move that would be devastating for Illinois schools. The governor intended to harm Chicago, but in reality, poor districts across the state would lose money if his amendatory veto were to take effect.

“Senate Bill 1 is the only plan that ensures no Illinois schools lose funding. Hundreds of superintendents, educators and advocacy groups have come out in support of the SB1 because it's a fair and equitable plan that would provide long-term stability and certainty to our schools.

“I am proud to vote to override the governor’s veto of Senate Bill 1. It’s time to put politics aside and fix Illinois’ worst-in-the-nation school funding formula once and for all.”

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