The Illinois House of Representatives voted last week to approve a bill that will phase in an increase to the state minimum wage, from the current $8.25 to $15 by 2025. The Illinois Senate had previously approved the bill, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) signed it into law today.

Illinois' minimum wage, like those of about half the states, is already above the federal minimum of $7.25, but Illinois now joins the wave of states that are increasing their minimum wages substantially above federal levels. (Illinois' Midwestern neighbors Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin still have the federal minimum. Missouri voters approved a phased-in minimum wage increase in the November 2018 elections.)

The Illinois minimum wage will phase in as follows:

January 1, 2020: $9.25

July 1, 2020: $10

January 1, 2021: $11

January 1, 2022: $12

January 1, 2023: $13

January 1, 2024: $14

January 1, 2025: $15

A copy of the legislation is available here. The minimum wage increase for adult workers begins on page 27. A smaller phased-in minimum wage increase will apply to workers who are under age 18, and those provisions begin on page 29.

Susan Bassford Wilson is based in Constangy's St. Louis Office and is admitted to practice in Illinois and Missouri.