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10/13/2009
A new State Legislative Update has been posted for your reference at collegezone.com. This Update, dated
October 12, 2009, contains the status of bills that pertain to ISAC-administered programs and higher education in general.
The General Assembly is scheduled to meet in Springfield (October 14th-16th and October 28th-30th) to consider vetoed bills and other matters. This “Veto Session” is currently the only scheduled opportunity for legislators to restore funding for ISAC's need-based Monetary Award Program (MAP) before the new calendar year begins. As has been widely reported, student aid funding for ISAC was cut roughly in half for fiscal year 2010 (FY2010), from a proposed $440 million to $220 million. These cuts severely limited ISAC’s ability to make awards for the 2009-2010 academic year, and resulted in MAP funds being available for only the first half of the year.
The Governor and members of the General Assembly have offered a number of possible solutions to this crisis, including the following:
- The Governor has proposed raising the cigarette tax by one dollar per pack, which could raise an estimated $365 million.
- House Bill (HB) 4622 (Pritchard) would establish a tax amnesty period during which those who owe state taxes could repay them without penalties or interest. If approved, that plan is expected to bring in approximately $104.9 million in back taxes, all of which would be put towards funding MAP for the second half of the year.
- House Joint Resolution (HJR) 75 (McCarthy) would mandate a study of MAP to determine whether funds are distributed in the most efficient way.
- The House Higher Education and House Higher Education Appropriations Committees plan to hold a joint hearing on the MAP shortfall on Thursday, October 15th, at 4 p.m. in Room 114 of the Capitol Building.
October 13th is MAP call-in day. ISAC urges MAP supporters to call or visit their state legislators to urge them to find a funding solution for the state's Monetary Award Program. A legislator lookup may be found at www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/SelectSearchType.aspx?NavLink=1.
In addition, students from all over the state plan to converge for a Springfield rally on October 15th to urge lawmakers and the Governor to reinstate MAP funding for the remainder of the school year. Details on this event, as well as resources for concerned citizens interested in the restoration of MAP funding, are available online at www.saveillinoismapgrants.org/.
The remainder of the Update provides a summary of legislation considered during the 96th General Assembly that affects student financial aid and/or ISAC, arranged first by each bill's status: Amendatorily Vetoed, Not Yet Approved by Both Chambers, and Public Acts (i.e., those that have become law).
The State Legislative Update can be accessed through College Zone's e-Library, #13, ISAC Announcements, Press Releases & State Legislative Updates. We will notify you when a new Update is posted.
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