Statement from Gov. Pat Quinn Regarding Passage of State of the State Priority "Employment First" Legislation

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today released the following statement regarding the passage of House Bill 2591 - the Employment First Act, which he proposed for Illinois in his 2013 State of the State Address.

"Our Illinois is a state where every person has the opportunity to chase their dreams and reach their full potential.

"As I said in my State of the State address, I'm committed to making Illinois the nation's leading employer of people with disabilities.

"We took a good step towards that goal with the passage of a bill that will make Illinois an Employment First state. This bill will require all state agencies to work together to make competitive employment for people with disabilities a priority and develop measurable goals and objectives for the state of Illinois.

"I salute Representative Esther Golar, Senator Daniel Biss and advocates across Illinois for their tireless work to pass this legislation. I look forward to making Illinois an Employment First state."