August 25, 2017

To the Honorable Members of

The Illinois Senate,

100th General Assembly:

Today, I veto Senate Bill 1720, which would make failure to pay wages a Class 4 felony instead of a misdemeanor.

Every worker is legally entitled to wages earned, and there should be penalties for employers who fail to make due on wages owed. However, there is little evidence that the current system of making failure to pay wages a misdemeanor requires a major shift to making it a felony.

Therefore, pursuant to Section 9(b) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return Senate Bill 1720, entitled “AN ACT concerning employment,” with the foregoing objections, vetoed in its entirety.

Sincerely,

Bruce Rauner

GOVERNOR