Halpin Continues Effort to Keep Businesses in Illinois, Crack Down on Outsourcers

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, introduced legislation on Wednesday to crack down on outsourcing corporations that take taxpayer deals and then move jobs overseas and out of state. 

“Companies that take local families’ tax dollars should not be able to simply pocket this money and leave,” said Halpin. “My legislation is aimed at protecting taxpayers’ investment in our community and making sure that local workers are prioritized.”

Halpin’s House Bill 838 creates the Keep Illinois Business Act, which requires companies that move jobs out of state to pay back the full amount of any state subsidies they received. The measure is intended to foster job growth and economic development by ensuring the state is investing taxpayer dollars only in businesses that invest in Illinois. 

Halpin previously passed a version of the Keep Illinois Business Act through the House in March 2017. Then-Gov. Bruce Rauner opposed the measure and it stalled in the Senate.

“Our community and workforce benefit when businesses are incentivized to create jobs here in Illinois,” said Halpin. “Equally important to economic development is making sure the businesses that get these special deals are actually using them to create local jobs. One of my first legislative commitments was to crack down on outsourcers that seek to enrich their profits at the expense of working families, and this legislation is a renewed effort to do so.”