Figures from the Department of Employment Security indicate that Illinois' unemployment rate remained steady at 5.3% in October, compared to a national rate of 4.2%. The state currently has 6,142,400 non-agricultural workers employed, though payroll growth has stagnated. Health care and government sectors saw job increases, while professional and business services and financial services experienced declines.
Regions dependent on manufacturing report the highest unemployment rates in Illinois. Danville leads with a 6.2% unemployment rate, followed by Decatur at 5.8%, and Rockford at 5.4%. The state's current unemployment rate reflects an increase from last year's figure of 4.8%.
A controversial piece of legislation, House Bill 793, which affects developmentally disabled workers, has passed through the General Assembly. The bill proposes a significant wage increase without providing financial assistance to employers, potentially leading to job losses for these workers.
"I have heard from concerned parents and the families of some of these workers in our district," said Representative Dan Swanson. He highlighted the challenges faced by local businesses under this mandate: "The wage increase mandated by this bill would quickly burn through those funds and cause the jobs to be eliminated."
In other news, during the fall veto session's closing days, Representative Swanson welcomed Monmouth College students to the Illinois House chamber as part of their study on state government.
Illinois hunters harvested over 54,000 deer during the first weekend of firearm season this year—a slight increase from last year’s numbers—with specific county figures provided by the Department of Natural Resources.
Additionally, recent developments include a state watchdog uncovering $7.2 million in PPP fraud by state employees and over $40 million worth of cocaine seized near Geneseo according to ISP reports.
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