House Speaker Michael Madigan's "millionaire tax" proposal that he abandoned in April could appear in the form of an non-binding referendum on the November ballot. 

A House panel approved a measure Thursday that would let Illinois voters weigh in on the Chicago Democrat's plan for a 3 percent tax to be levied on all income over $1 million.

Madigan said the proposed advisory referendum comes in an effort to better gauge public support for the idea, which failed to gain traction in the legislature.

“Those that would be called upon to pay this surcharge have done pretty well in Illinois, they’ve done pretty well in America,” the House speaker said Thursday. “We’re simply saying to them ‘you’ve done well in this country and we’d like to call upon you to do a little more for those that are involved in lower education,’ many of whom need a little help to get ahead in life.”