Rep. Brady backs emergency bill to fund higher education through summer

Posted on April 21, 2016
Dan Brady
State Rep. Dan Brady is backing a stop-gap proposal to fund colleges and universities through the summer and cover student MAP grants through the fall. (WJBC file photo)

By Eric Stock

SPRINGFIELD – There’s a new effort to provide stop-gap funding to colleges and universities in Illinois during the state budget stalemate.

State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, is backing a measure to provide four months of money to schools and cover student MAP grants.

PODCAST: Listen to Scott’s interview with Brady on WJBC.

“Anything we do, we know with Gov. Rauner, you identify a funding mechanism,” Brady said. “You’ve got to show me the money.”

The measure would use about a $500 million from an education assistance fund.

Illinois State University would get about $21 million to get through the summer. The funding would include $169 million in MAP grants for students to attend colleges and universities in Illinois.

Brady said the money would come at a crucial time for college students.

“We are in a critical time where students are making the decision next year,” Brady asked. ” ‘Can I continue on without the MAP grant? I need something tangible that tells me what is going to be there or not be there.”

Brady added supporters are trying to get House Speaker Mike Madigan to back the bill.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].

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