State Rep. Grant Wehrli (R-Naperville) rallied members of his Developmentally Disabled Task Force around a bill that would increase wages for those who work with individuals with disabilities during a recent second-quarter meeting.
“In addition to other topics, we discussed HB 2148, a bill that would create the Community Disability Living Wage Act,” Wehrli said in a post to his website. “I am the leading Republican on this bill and the primary chief co-sponsor. Despite the critical and life-changing work direct support persons (DSPs) provide to individuals with disabilities, current wages paid to these professionals place them below the poverty line. This has created a staffing crisis and results in high turnover within the workforce.”
House Bill 2148 mandates that DSPs earn no less than $5.25 per hour above the minimum wage.The bill was recently re-referred to the House Rules Committee.
Illinois State Rep. Grant Wehrli (R-Naperville)
“Today these individuals make wages that are among the lowest in the country,” Wehrli added. “We need to change that.”
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