Bill Text: IL SR0213 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Declares March 14, 2023 as "Equal Pay Day". Encourages the citizens of this State to learn about the pay gap that women experience in society and to learn about these various dates that bring attention to the pay gap that specific groups experience.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 14-2)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-05-17 - Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Laura Fine [SR0213 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SR0213-Introduced.html

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SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The future of our nation's productivity and
competitiveness in the global marketplace depends on the
success of all men and women; and
WHEREAS, Women have been discriminated against in
education, the workplace, and society as a whole; and
WHEREAS, Equal Pay Day, representing all women, is
celebrated each year on March 14; this date is based on U.S.
Census figures showing that the average woman who works
full-time is paid on average just 84% of the typical man's pay;
started by the National Committee on Pay Equity (NCPE) in
1996, the goal of Equal Pay Day is to raise awareness about the
gender wage gap; and
WHEREAS, In 2022, changes were made to the methodology,
and The Equal Pay Day Calendar now encompasses a broader
cross-section of women, including those who work part-time or
seasonally, to represent a more accurate picture of how the
gender pay gap impacts diverse communities; the COVID-19
pandemic pushed many women, especially women of color, into
part-time or seasonal work or out of the workforce all
together; because of this, past methods of calculating the
wage gap fell short of accurately capturing the full picture;

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with the new inclusive methodology, we can advocate on behalf
of all women in the workforce; and
WHEREAS, Because the pay gap varies significantly among
different communities, other Equal Pay Days have been added to
the calendar over the years to reflect the fact that many women
must work far longer into the year to catch up to men; and
WHEREAS, LGBTQIA+ Equal Pay Awareness Day is June 15; this
day raises awareness about the wage gap experienced by the
LGBTQIA+ community; and
WHEREAS, Black Women's Equal Pay Day is July 27; Black
women working full-time and year-round are paid 67 cents, and
all earners (including part-time and seasonal) are paid 64
cents for every dollar paid to non-Hispanic white men; and
WHEREAS, Moms' Equal Pay Day is August 15; moms working
full-time and year-round are paid 74 cents, and all earners
(including part-time and seasonal) are paid 62 cents for every
dollar paid to dads; and
WHEREAS, Latina's Equal Pay Day is October 5; Latina women
working full-time and year-round are paid 57 cents, and all
earners (including part-time and seasonal) are paid 54 cents
for every dollar paid to non-Hispanic white men; and

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WHEREAS, Native Women's Equal Pay Day is November 30;
Native women working full-time and year-round are paid 57
cents, and all earners (including part-time and seasonal) are
paid 51 cents for every dollar paid to non-Hispanic white men;
and
WHEREAS, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific
Islander Women's Equal Pay Day is also held each year to
reflect how Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific
Islander women working full-time and year-round are paid 92
cents, and all earners (including part-time and seasonal) are
paid 80 cents for every dollar paid to non-Hispanic white men;
and
WHEREAS, The pay gap has been shown to start as soon as one
year after college; this inequality affects not only women but
also their families and society as a whole; and
WHEREAS, The pay gap between women and men has long-term
effects on women's economic security; such a gap affects
women's Social Security earnings, their ability to save for
retirement, and their children's education; and
WHEREAS, Pay equity is closely linked to the eradication
of poverty and is essential to having a highly-motivated

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workforce; and
WHEREAS, Equal pay is a priority for all women and for our
society at large; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare March 14,
2023 as "Equal Pay Day" in the State of Illinois; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That we encourage the citizens of this State to
learn about the pay gap that women experience in society and to
learn about these various dates that bring attention to the
pay gap that specific groups experience.