Illinois Senate votes to reject lawmaker salary increase

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois lawmakers will forego a roughly $1,400 pay raise under legislation approved by the state Senate.

Legislators voted 49-2 Wednesday to reject an automatic 2 percent cost-of-living adjustment. The House voted to stop the pay hike last week.

The action comes after Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner blasted Democrats who control the Legislature for not acting to stop the hike during a budget crisis.

Democratic Senate President John Cullerton says previous court rulings make it "blatantly" unconstitutional for lawmakers to reject the increases. But he said last week "Nobody's gonna sue."

Lawmakers make a base salary of about $68,000 per year. Rejecting the pay raise would save Illinois about $240,000 annually.

Democratic Sens. Kimberly Lightford of Maywood and Emil Jones of Chicago voted no.