State Representative Tony McCombie announced that Governor Rauner signed Senate Bill 2637, a bill Rep. McCombie sponsored to improve the accuracy of reporting of Minority & Female participation in building trades apprenticeships programs.

“The signing of this legislation will ensure more accurate reporting of demographic trends in the State’s building trades apprenticeship programs,” said Rep. Tony McCombie, Chief Sponsor of Senate Bill 2637. “By reporting these trends at the end of the apprentice program’s 45 day grace period (March 31) rather than March 1st, the information reported will be more accurate.”

“Maximizing female and minority participation in apprenticeship programs is a priority for Local 150,” said James M. Sweeney, President-Business Manager of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150. “Ensuring that reporting is as accurate as possible is a critical part of the recruiting process, and we thank Representative McCombie for her leadership on this front.”

Senate Bill 2637 was signed into law by Governor Rauner on August 10 as Public Act 100-797. Rep. McCombie had also sponsored House Bill 5595 addressing the same issue. That legislation was vetoed by Governor Rauner on August 17 after the Governor signed SB 2637, as it was then duplicitous with the enactment of Public Act 100-797 the week prior.

The State Construction Minority and Female Building Trades Act was established in Illinois with the intent to spur better participation of minorities and women in the construction fields, especially those fields then tend to rely on union shops. Fines are issued by the Illinois Department of Labor if an organization does not file a report after a grace period to comply. Both the Illinois Department of Labor as well as the Operating Engineers union supported Senate Bill 2637 and urged passage to improve the accuracy of the reports.