Bill Requiring State Workers To Reside In Illinois Advances

SPRINGFIELD, IL — A bill requiring state workers to reside within the state will head to the full Illinois Senate after receiving committee approval Wednesday. Sen. Laura Fine, a Glenview Democrat who introduced the legislation last month, said the proposal is common sense.

“State workers’ salaries are paid by Illinois taxpayers,” Fine said. “It just makes sense that if you’re going to be paid by income, sales and property taxes that Illinois residents pay, then you should be subject to those same taxes.”

Fine's Senate Bill 1639 amends the state's personnel code to require employees of any state agency to live in the state within three months of getting hired.

Existing state law says the director of the Department of Central Management Systems may waive the requirement that state employees hired from eligibility lists live in Illinois if there are fewer than three state residents available for appointment.

Fine's proposal would not apply to employees of state contractors. It passed the State Government Committee Wednesday afternoon unanimously as part of the consent agenda.