Sen. Jim Oberweis (R-Sugar Grove) spoke in opposition of a bill that opens up student funding to more individuals in Illinois.
House Bill 2691, sponsored by Sen. Omar Aquino (D-Chicago), creates the Retention of Illinois Students and Equity Act, known as the RISE Act, to all students who are deemed Illinois residents for tuition purposes. The bill provides that a student attending a higher education institution in the state that is deemed an Illinois resident for tuition purposes and is not otherwise eligible to receive federal financial aid shall be eligible to apply or receive consideration for state financial aid.
"We're taking away funds from legal citizens," Oberweis said. "Does that seem fair to you? The math is simple. Each of us has students relying on MAP funding."
Illinois State Sen. Jim Oberweis (R-Sugar Grove)
| http://senatoroberweis.com/
Oberweis said MAP funding would be taken away from legal state citizens if the bill were to pass.
"If we’re going to take it away from our citizens and give it to non-citizens . . . this is just absolutely fundamentally wrong," Oberweis said. "I strongly encourage a No vote."
With this bill, approximately 3,500 more students will be eligible for MAP funding. Fiscal notes for the bill indicate that without adding additional funding, adding new recipients would require shifting money from other recipients.
The bill passed with 35 Yes votes and 15 No votes.
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