SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Employment and diversity were chief Wednesday among topics in Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s State of the State address.
Addressing state legislators almost exactly a year since his inauguration, Pritzker was quick to tout some figures.
“Today, Illinois economy supports 6.2 million jobs,” he said.
“This is the most jobs on record for our state, and we now have the lowest unemployment rate in history.”
The bipartisan “Rebuild Illinois” infrastructure bill was on Pritzker’s agenda of points.
Pritzker said the bill aims to create 500,000 jobs through various projects, including fixing roads and bridges, bringing broadband to remote parts of the state, and modernizing major data centers.
He pointed to a local example of how Rebuild Illinois has been integrated with another initiative, the Illinois Works jobs program.
One of Pritzker’s guests was Reggie Marizetts, Jr. of Peoria, a first-year apprentice with a local laborers’ union.
“Over the [next] six years, addition to our expansion of apprenticeships, Rebuild Illinois will transform our infrastructure, even as we create a lot more opportunities for Reggie and thousands of young people just like him,” Pritzker said.
Among other topics upon which Pritzker touched were cannabis legalization, healthcare affordability including his $100 insulin cap, and climate.
