Rauner Enters Labor Day by Siding with Corporations over Middle Class Illinoisans

Rauner Vetoes Bills to Close the Wage Gap and Protect Against Corporate Abuse

While the state of Illinois braced to find out if schools would stay open this fall, Governor Bruce Rauner vetoed a number of bills designed to help protect working families from the abuses of corporations. That Rauner sided with corporate interests over families comes as no surprise, but this year Rauner vetoed many bills with strong bipartisan support, which could mean more embarrassing vetoes overrides for Rauner.
“Bruce Rauner is celebrating Labor Day by putting corporate interests ahead of middle-class families,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Rauner vetoed common-sense measures that protect Illinois families against the abuses of student loan and insurance companies, and women in the workplace. When push came to shove, Governor Rauner put his business friends ahead of hard-working Illinois families. Under Rauner’s failed leadership, Illinois is falling behind.”
Rauner first defended student loan companies by vetoing a bill bringing more needed oversight to the process:

The Senate bill, which passed with bipartisan support, was the result of an investigation by Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office into the student loan servicing industry…Senate Bill 1351 would require those who service student loans to be licensed by the state and would require they provide and explain all repayment options to borrowers and tell them if they could be eligible for loan forgiveness under certain circumstances. [Jacksonville Journal Courier/Alton Telegraph Editorial]

 
Then Rauner vetoed legislation designed to help close the wage gap between men and women:

Gov. Bruce Rauner has vetoed a bill that would prohibit employers from asking job candidates about their salary history, but advocates for the measure say they’ll try to garner enough support in the state legislature for an override. Rauner on Friday vetoed Illinois’ No Salary History bill, which seeks to narrow the pay gap between men and women by keeping too-low salaries from following women as they move from job to job. [Chicago Tribune]

 
Rauner also took the side of life insurance companies. The legislation was the result of a State Treasurer’s audit finding life insurance companies failed to pay out $550 million in benefits. Rauner’s veto would prevent those audits from happening again:

House Bill 302 was designed to help people get the life insurance benefits they’re entitled to, but Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner criticized it as he issued an amendatory veto of the measure Wednesday, saying it may be unconstitutional and isn’t fair to the insurance industry…Known as the Life Insurance Reform Act, H.B. 302 would have required life insurance companies to compare their searchable electronic records of customers back to 2000 to the Death Master File to help identify unclaimed benefits. [WGN-TV]

 
Finally, Rauner vetoed yet another minimum wage increase. Last year Rauner vetoed a minimum wage increase for caregivers of the developmentally disabled.

Illinois’s fight for a $15 an hour minimum wage hit a roadblock last Friday after Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed the bill that would make it happen. The Illinois General Assembly approved a plan in late May that would raise the minimum wage gradually from $8.25 to $15 an hour over the next five years. [WNIJ/WNIU]

 
At least he’s consistent.

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