State minimum wage laws: Examining the case of Illinois
As of August 2005, seventeen states have raised their minimum wages above the federal level of $5.15. Using Kingdon's agenda setting model, this article analyzes lessons from a case study of Illinois, the first Midwestern state to raise its minimum, up to $6.50 in January 2005. This legislative success was a result of a mix of factors including a change in the State's political environment with the election of a new governor, and collaboration between advocates and researchers who provided a rigorous analysis of the potential effects of raising the minimum wage.