SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – House Speaker Michael J. Madigan released the following statement Thursday:

“Today we made history in Illinois by increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour for the hardest working people in our state. We heard from people across Illinois and took their message to heart.

“I’m proud we passed this critical legislation today to give our working families a long overdue raise. Supporting a higher wage means a host of benefits for our state, including better-paying jobs, increased consumer spending and a growing economy.

“I applaud Governor Pritzker for his leadership.

“As Illinois takes this historic step, we can be assured that we are improving the lives of workers in every corner of our state, providing them an opportunity to enhance their lives and better support their families.”