North Egypt News

Illinois House Rep. Dave Severin spoke about the potential impacts of a proposed bill on Oct. 25th, highlighting that it would not only affect current workers but also those who might qualify to work in the future. "There’s one component of this that we haven't talked about today that I want to share with you and talking with the other workshops in Southern Illinois, they said you know not only does this impact the people that are working now but it prohibits those that would qualify and would come to a workshop to work, it’s going to prohibit them.", said Severin. He emphasized his conviction about bipartisanship for tackling this important issue saying: "This is an important issue and we need to stand firm across both sides of the aisle."

The matter pertains to House Bill 793, which if passed, will remove employers' ability to pay individuals with developmental disabilities below minimum wage. The legislation specifies that as of July 1, 2027, the Department of Human Services should cease using active or pending 14(c) certificates allowed under the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. This authorization enabled an employee with disability to be paid less than standard minimum wage.

Severin has represented the 116th district since Jan. 2017. His appointments include roles on several House Committees like Appropriations-Elementary & Secondary Education; Mental Health & Addiction; and Veterans' Affairs. Additionally, he serves as Republican spokesperson for both the House Appropriations-Higher Education Committee and the House Energy & Environment Committee.

However, there are concerns about the potential unintended consequences of this bill. According to Fox 2, Community Link Executive Director John Huelskamp noted while well-intentioned, it overlooks aspects such as some workers being at workshops for more than just pay - indicating minimum wage requirements might result in no work opportunities for them.