SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate Labor Committee voted to approve Senator Cristina Castro’s (D-Elgin) legislation strengthening the Illinois Equal Pay Act.

House Bill 834 would prohibit employers from asking about salary histories when interviewing job applicants. The measure would reduce the effects of pay discrimination from past jobs.

“This legislation addresses a wide range of people” said Castro. “Men and women of all ages and backgrounds should have an equal chance to succeed, and that is what I will continue to fight for as a member of this General Assembly.”

Employers can currently consider salary history when making hiring decisions and salary offers. This perpetuates wage inequality, especially since women, on average, earn less than men for similar work. It has also been found that women of color earn even less than white women when compared to men.

“I don’t believe that all employers consciously discriminate, but they need to become aware of this issue,” said Castro. “Many employers tend to set salaries for new hires using their previous salary rather than basing it off of the applicant’s worth to the company. Businesses shouldn’t see this legislation as a threat; it is the right thing to do.”

House Bill 834 passed the Senate Labor Committee and will now move to the Senate for a final vote.

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SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) passed a measure through the Illinois Senate today honoring Sergeant Marcos Leonardo Gudino, who served the Illinois Army National Guard.

Senate Joint Resolution 1 will dedicate the US 20 bridge under Illinois Route 31 to him by renaming it the Sergeant Marcos Leonardo Gudino Memorial Bridge.

“It is an honor to be able to pay tribute to Marcos in this way,” Castro said. “He was a young man that had already accomplished so much and was meant to accomplish more. Today is a day where we remember Marcos Leonardo Gudino. I hope by dedicating this portion of the highway to him, it will serve as a reminder of what a great and courageous man he was.”

Sergeant Leonardo Gudino enlisted in August 2010 and served the Illinois Army National Guard as a medic. He planned on working for the Village of Streamwood after being offered a police officer position.

Sergeant Leonardo Gudino passed away from injuries he sustained when his military ambulance crashed while returning home from a weekend training.

ELGIN – State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) released the following statement after Illinois joined a coalition of other states and municipalities challenging the federal government’s attempt to add a question about a respondent’s citizenship status to the 2020 Census.

“The Census should not be used to push a political agenda,” Castro said. “It was created to find the most accurate data on all persons, not just citizens, and if this citizenship question is added, it will cause people to shy away from participating. We cannot allow this political intrusion to skew the accuracy of findings that we use as a guide for the next decade of public policy.”