HR0577 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0577 LRB095 12618 RAS 37896 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois honors Illinois veterans for service in the United States Armed Services, the Illinois National Guard, and the Illinois Naval Militia with grants and scholarships to attend Illinois community colleges and public universities; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Veteran Grant Program pays eligible tuition and certain fees for undergraduate study at any Illinois community college or public university for Illinois residents who qualify; a qualified applicant is any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who has served at least one year of active duty and whose separation from such service has been characterized as honorable; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois National Guard and Naval Militia Grant Program pays tuition and eligible fees at all Illinois community colleges or public universities; a qualified applicant must be on active status and have served for at least one year in the Illinois National Guard or the Illinois Naval Militia; and

WHEREAS, The MIA-POW Scholarship Program for dependents of Illinois residents declared to be missing in action or prisoners of war pays all tuition and fees at any Illinois community college or public university; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Veteran Grant Program, the Illinois National Guard and Naval Militia Grant Program, and the MIA-POW Scholarship Program are all considered entitlement grants; thus, if the General Assembly does not fully fund these programs to cover all expenses, the community college or public university must waive all tuition and fees on behalf of that student; and

WHEREAS, Illinois community colleges and public universities must raise tuition and fees in order to compensate for unfunded mandates placed upon them by the Governor's budget; and

WHEREAS, It is not fiscally responsible for the Governor to increase government spending while other parts of the budget continue to be underfunded; and

WHEREAS, The FY06 budget underfunded these veterans' programs by $13.6 million; the FY07 shortfall is expected to reach approximately $14.5 million; with the projected increase in the number of veterans qualifying for these benefits, the shortfall is expected to rise somewhere between $15 million and $18 million in FY08; public institutions will have no recourse but to further raise already inflated tuition and fee rates for all Illinois students to cover the increasing costs of such programs; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the community colleges and public universities of the State of Illinois are entitled to reimbursement for the costs incurred in the administration of the Illinois Veteran Grant Program, the Illinois National Guard and Naval Militia Grant Program, and the MIA-POW Scholarship Program; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the General Assembly recommends that the budget fully reimburse community colleges and public universities for the costs incurred in the administration of the Illinois Veteran Grant Program, the Illinois National Guard and Naval Militia Grant Program, and the MIA-POW Scholarship Program; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the General Assembly urges the quick passage of House Bill 479, which creates the Appropriation for Military Scholarships Act that provides that beginning with the budget for Fiscal Year 2009, the Governor must include a General Revenue Fund recommendation in the annual budget sufficient to reimburse institutions of higher learning in this State for not charging students tuition and fees under the Illinois Veterans Grant Program, the Illinois National Guard and Naval Militia Grant Program, and the MIA-POW Scholarship Program; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Governor, the Board of Higher Education, the Illinois Community College Board, the president of each community college of the State, and the president of each public university of the State.