Another Year of Status Quo for IL Legislator Scholarship Program

A bill designed to change Illinois' often-abused legislative scholarship program is heading nowhere, and that means lawmakers may avoid one more touchy vote before the fall election.

The Senate faces a deadline next week to consider Gov. Pat Quinn's veto of the measure. But a spokeswoman for Senate President John Cullerton says senators have no plans to return to the Capitol by then.

Cullerton is a Chicago Democrat who sponsored a series of restrictions on the scholarships rather than support an outright ban passed by the House.

Quinn vetoed Cullerton's proposal on May 11, saying he preferred to eliminate the program.

Cullerton spokeswoman Rikeesha Phelon says this particular bill is dead but the issue isn't.