AG Madigan weighs in on Gov. Rauner 'right-to-work' proposal

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Saturday, March 21, 2015
(FILE) Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
AP-AP

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Attorney General Lisa Madigan has formally weighed in on Gov. Bruce Rauner's Illinois "right-to-work zone" proposals.

DOCUMENT: Lisa Madigan opinion #1
DOCUMENT: Lisa Madigan opinion #2
DOCUMENT: Gov. Rauner response to Madigan opinion

Madigan said the governor's plan to allow voters to decide whether to enact "right-to-work" laws in their own municipalities is illegal.

Madigan said Friday that it's all or nothing. If the governor wants voters to decide on whether to enact "right-to-work" laws, the change has to be state-wide, not county by county.

"Federal law pre-empts local governments from having such laws if the state as a whole does not," Madigan wrote in an opinion. "Also, the law does not allow for 'right-to-work zones.'"

Rauner put out a statement, saying he respectfully disagrees.