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MAP Bill Stalled

Illinois' Senate President is encouraging Governor Bruce Rauner to rethink his priorities on student aid legislation ... but the governor was quick to repeat his promise of a veto.
                                                                                    
Senate President John Cullerton says he'll hold onto the legislation for a couple of weeks, to give the governor time to "cool off," then he'll end it along. In a statement, Cullerton urges Rauner to "not act rashly, but in the best interest of students."

Illinois is now in its eighth month without a budget; it's been that long since the state paid for higher education --- including for the Monetary Award Program, or MAP. Low-income students use MAP grants to help pay for tuition. Legislation Democrats approved last week would cover the grants.

Rauner, a Republican, immediately vowed a veto. The governor's took no time to indicate Rauner isn't changing his mind -- because there's no way to pay.

The governor does back a GOP proposal to fund higher education that gives him extra latitude to unilaterally manage the budget.
 

Amanda Vinicky moved to Chicago Tonight on WTTW-TV PBS in 2017.
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