In this Feb. 17, 2016 photo, Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, left, speaks to Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, center, while Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, right, delivers the State of the Budget Address to a joint session of the General Assembly in the House chambers at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. (AP File Photo/Seth Perlman)
Tina Sfondeles
@TinaSfon | email
Illinois lawmakers on Friday approved a big short-time fix to fund the state’s public universities and community colleges in what the governor’s administration is calling a bipartisan glimmer of hope needed to solve the state’s budget impasse.
Illinois State Comptroller Leslie Munger on Friday said payments to universities, community colleges and to students with Monetary Award Program grants will start immediately.
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While state universities are grateful, the funding will only keep the doors open for the rest of the semester, and layoffs are still on the way without a full state budget in a stalemate that’s reached 10 months.
Statehouse sources say a deal for higher education funding was nearly made on Wednesday. Then on Thursday, the bill was pulled from the House with no explanation.
It sailed through on Friday, after some closed-door meetings between lawmakers.
A longtime statehouse source said there was some uncharacteristic “chaos” in the House Democratic caucus. There was some dissension about the vote with Senate Republicans as well, as some questioned why Chicago State would get more funding than other universities.
But assurances by the Rauner administration that there would be a way to fund the bill helped to seal the deal, according to sources. And the Legislative Black Caucus knew CSU needed money or it could be closing its doors for good. The group of legislators was instrumental in getting the bill passed and also stressed the need for a bill to fund social services, just before the House bill was approved.
The House on Friday voted 106-2, while the Senate unanimously passed the bill, which will send $600 million to help stem the financial crises at the state’s public universities and community colleges. It also includes $160 million in tuition grants for low-income students.
The Senate also unanimously advanced a bill that will bridge funding for higher education and critical human services.
The House should take up that bill when legislators return after a one-week break.
Democrats and Republicans had previously split the vote on several higher education bills, with some Republicans stressing there was no source of revenue to pay for the emergency funding.
Tina Sfondeles
@TinaSfon | email
Illinois lawmakers on Friday approved a big short-time fix to fund the state’s public universities and community colleges in what the governor’s administration is calling a bipartisan glimmer of hope needed to solve the state’s budget impasse.
Illinois State Comptroller Leslie Munger on Friday said payments to universities, community colleges and to students with Monetary Award Program grants will start immediately.
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While state universities are grateful, the funding will only keep the doors open for the rest of the semester, and layoffs are still on the way without a full state budget in a stalemate that’s reached 10 months.
Statehouse sources say a deal for higher education funding was nearly made on Wednesday. Then on Thursday, the bill was pulled from the House with no explanation.
It sailed through on Friday, after some closed-door meetings between lawmakers.
A longtime statehouse source said there was some uncharacteristic “chaos” in the House Democratic caucus. There was some dissension about the vote with Senate Republicans as well, as some questioned why Chicago State would get more funding than other universities.
But assurances by the Rauner administration that there would be a way to fund the bill helped to seal the deal, according to sources. And the Legislative Black Caucus knew CSU needed money or it could be closing its doors for good. The group of legislators was instrumental in getting the bill passed and also stressed the need for a bill to fund social services, just before the House bill was approved.
The House on Friday voted 106-2, while the Senate unanimously passed the bill, which will send $600 million to help stem the financial crises at the state’s public universities and community colleges. It also includes $160 million in tuition grants for low-income students.
The Senate also unanimously advanced a bill that will bridge funding for higher education and critical human services.
The House should take up that bill when legislators return after a one-week break.
Democrats and Republicans had previously split the vote on several higher education bills, with some Republicans stressing there was no source of revenue to pay for the emergency funding.
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