The Illinois Senate has approved another additional budget of $454 million to be spent on the state's higher education institutions. The spending will be allocated toeight public universities, community colleges and Monetary Award Program students. This extra budget will serve to hinder masive planned layoffs at several institutions.

The bill sent to the House of Representatives was voted for in a near unanimous decision. The bill can take up until next week on Tuesday before the Legislature, Fox32 reported. The extra budget is the second one that was approved by the Illinois Senate in two weeks. Last month, $600 million was also released to help public colleges and universities pay for summer fees.

The budget was allegedly taken from the excess special-purpose funds from 2015, Reuters noted. However, without legislation support, Republican Governor Bruce Rauner and his administration will have to repay it by end of June. If Rauner is going to sign the new bill, 60 percent will be allocated to Illinois colleges and universityes, according to Progress Illinois. The action was criticized by some saying that it is "ridiculous" to get budget from other source without proof that money is really there. However, majority of the lawmakers approved of the idea.


The bipartisan move as some called it a mini-success and an example for lawmakers to work together. In this way, they can work together peacefully in a way that will benefit the state and the people, especially the students.

Illinois Democrats and Rauner have been on a budget standoff since July of last year. They could not come into any agreement with the spending and higher education institutions. Illinois public colleges and universities have been gone without budget for 10 months, CBS Local shared.

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Tags Illinois, Higher education, Senate, College, University