DECATUR, Ill. –In response to a recently filed lawsuit to suspend employees’ pay in the absence of a state budget, state Rep. Sue Scherer, D-Decatur, on Wednesday filed legislation to continue to pay state workers and keep Illinois government functioning.

“Hardworking families are already hurting because of the ongoing budget impasse, and a shutdown of state government would cause even more severe, lasting damage,” Scherer said. “I care about the residents of my district, many of whom are state employees, which is why I am introducing this measure to ensure workers get paid and state services continue to be delivered.”

Scherer filed House Bill 1798 to put the legislative appropriation in place to pay state employees, with the goal of avoiding any disruption of state services. Scherer’s district is heavily populated with state workers, and she is stressing the dire need for a resolution to the budget impasse to provide stability to working families as well as Illinois’ most vulnerable residents.

“It terrifies me to think about what will happen to the elderly, the disabled, and our entire community if the state shuts down,” said Scherer. “There are people whose lives literally depend on their access to state services, in addition to the thousands of workers whose families depend on their paycheck to pay bills and put food on the table. We need a budget, not games, and I implore the governor and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to work together to resolve this situation as quickly as possible.”

For more information, please contact Scherer’s constituent service office at 217-877-9636 or by email at StateRepSue@gmail.com. Scherer represents the 96th District, which includes portions of Christian, Macon and Sangamon counties.