Illinois lawmakers are preparing legislation to ensure that state employees continue receiving paychecks if a judge agrees with the attorney general's argument that their pay should be halted during the budget impasse.
Republican Rep. Avery Bourne and Democratic Rep. Sue Scherer introduced similar measures Wednesday to keep paychecks flowing in response to a motion filed by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan last week.
Madigan is asking a judge to reverse a previous ruling that not paying state workers would be unconstitutional, even without a budget.
Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan's spokesman Steve Brown calls Scherer's bill a "precaution'' against the attorney general's action.
Bourne says her measure is necessary to prevent a government shutdown and keep state workers out of the political fray as the budget negotiations grind on.
