© 2024 St. Louis Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Quinn uses veto pen on legislative scholarships

Ill. Gov. Pat Quinn.
(UPI/Bill Greenblatt)
Ill. Gov. Pat Quinn.

Gov. Pat Quinn is trying to use his veto power to end the long practice of Illinois lawmakers handing out college scholarships.

Quinn vetoed legislation Wednesday that would have imposed mild restrictions on the program. He returned it to lawmakers with new language that would halt the scholarships entirely.

Now it's up to the General Assembly to decide whether to accept this proposal or keep waiving tuition for select students.

The scholarships sometimes end up going to the children of politicians' friends and political donors. They also are a burden on state universities, which lose out on tuition money.

Quinn says "It is past time" to end the legislative scholarships.

Lawmakers have rejected past calls to halt the program.