Springfield, IL—State Senator Toi Hutchinson supported legislation passed by the Senate today authorizing the Governor to fully fund the Monetary Award Program (MAP) for the remainder of the 2010 fiscal year. Senate Bill 1180 increases the amount of funding for MAP grants from $220 million to $425 million. In higher education, state universities will lose funding for several scholarships and grant programs and see dramatic cuts to MAP if funding is not fulfilled. In Senator Hutchinson’s district, the 3,091 students who depend on MAP grants expect their average program funding to drop from $2,448 to $918.

"Students across the state depend on the MAP grants to pay for a quality education," Hutchinson said. "It is essential that this program is fully funded. I have said before that investing in our youth will only better our economy in the future when they become tax paying citizens in our state. Investing in higher education funding makes good fiscal sense for Illinois."

Earlier this year the General Assembly passed a budget that gave the Governor $1.2 billion in discretionary funds and he chose not to fully fund the program. Therefore, the General Assembly is now authorizing him to spend $205 million to fund the remainder of the grants.

Senator Hutchinson voted for House Bill 174 earlier this Spring which would generate $5.6 billion in new revenues to save the State from making draconian cuts to education, social-service and other critical programs. The bill passed out of the Senate but has yet to be considered in the House.