News Local/State

Madigan: Illinois House Will Adjourn Until January

 
Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan listens to lawmakers debate while on the House floor Wednesday.

Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, listens to lawmakers debate while on the House floor during veto session at the Illinois State Capitol Wednesday,

Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan says he plans to adjourn his chamber on Wednesday and not call lawmakers back before the new governor is seated.

The Chicago Democrat told the Associated Press on Wednesday that the House has "finished our work for this session.''
 
That would mean lawmakers will not address major legislation such as a minimum wage hike and the state's financial problems before Republican Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner and a new General Assembly are sworn in in mid-January.
 
A Senate spokeswoman says that chamber is keeping open the option of meeting before Rauner's inauguration.

It was determined late Tuesday that lawmakers would not take up a measure to raise Illinois' minimum wage.

Madigan's spokesman Steve Brown said the Democrat felt "complications'' made it unlikely a wage hike could be passed this year.