Sangamon Sun

A group of Illinois House Republican lawmakers, including State Rep. Mike Coffey, have introduced a legislative package aimed at providing financial relief to working families in the state. The proposed measures come as residents face rising costs for essentials such as groceries and utilities.

The Relief for Working Families legislative package includes bills that seek to encourage entrepreneurship, allow tipped employees to retain all their gratuities, and expand opportunities for technical skill-building that could lead to higher-paying jobs.

“Too often the people in the Capitol focus on the wrong solutions: overregulation, tax increases and overspending will not fix our state. We can’t cut our way out of these budget issues. We must grow our economy,” said Rep. Brad Stephens. “With this bill package, we can provide tangible financial relief for hardworking, taxpaying Illinoisans and begin to reshape our state into a destination not only for families, but for students, small businesses, and licensed professionals.”

Stephens is sponsoring House Bill 1752, which would create an income tax deduction for employers who provide educational assistance to employees.

Small businesses have played a significant role in job creation since 2019. Removing barriers to entrepreneurship is seen by supporters as a way to help new businesses start more easily and generate employment opportunities. To address this, Rep. Kyle Moore filed House Bill 1351—the Reducing Barriers to Start Act—which proposes eliminating many startup fees faced by new businesses during their first year.

Education is another focus of the package. The bills aim not only to expand training and employment opportunities but also address workforce shortages in trades and manufacturing sectors.

Rep. Mike Coffey is sponsoring House Bill 1729—the Reinvest in Future Technical Careers Act—which would provide tax credits for those making authorized contributions to scholarship funds supporting students attending technical academies. This measure targets individuals who may not otherwise afford such training.

“This bill has really come about from conversations I have had during my ‘Mike on Main Street’ tour across the district meeting with different businesses. One common theme has come up every time: we don’t have enough workforce, we need more help,” Coffey said. “They say ‘We don’t have the technical support to fill these positions.’ So the hope is these scholarships will help train individuals to get into the workforce. We need more plumbers, we need more pipefitters, we need more electricians so that we can grow and build Illinois, and that’s the point of this.”

Rep. Kevin Schmidt’s HB 3807 would establish the Illinois Trades Retention and Development Encouragement (ITRADE) grant program designed to help students earn degrees or certifications in fields like electrical work, plumbing, masonry, steel working and construction. Another education-related bill from Deputy Republican Leader Ryan Spain—House Bill 3821—would double the current education expense income tax credit from $750 to $1500 per year.

“Many students decide to attend a technical school after graduating high school and this bill promotes the skilled trade industry and helps eligible students receive scholarship funds to pursue a degree or certificate from a qualified technical school in Illinois,” Schmidt said. “It’s important every student has the opportunity to excel in a career after graduating high school, and this bill is aimed to do just that.”

Manufacturing companies across Illinois have raised concerns about shortages of trained workers needed for their operations. A contributing factor has been a lack of licensed educators in relevant fields. Rep. Jed Davis’ House Bill 1112 seeks to allow highly skilled trade workers without bachelor’s degrees to become educators—potentially increasing both expertise among teachers and student access to real-world skills training.

House Bill 1383—also sponsored by Deputy Leader Spain—proposes an income tax deduction on state returns for gratuities reported on federal returns by tipped workers so they can keep more of their earnings.

The group notes that while they championed these bills throughout the spring legislative session, Democrats blocked them from advancing at that time; however, Republicans plan renewed efforts when lawmakers reconvene in October.

“This package is called Relief for Working families because that’s what it will provide,” Moore said. “From furthering your education to starting a new business or simply keeping more of your hard-earned money in your own pocket. Working families need and deserve a break. Together these measures provide a great start to supporting working families and helping set them up for success.”

Coffey was elected as a Republican representative for Illinois' 95th House District in 2023 following Tim Butler's tenure.