According to a statement from the office of Governor Bruce Rauner, action was taken Friday on Senate Bill 2043, with Rauner vetoing the bill. Rauner stated if the bill passed, it would’ve exploded the State’s budget deficit, exacerbate the State’s cash flow crisis, and place further strain on social service providers and recipients who are already suffering from the State’s deficit spending.

The bill would have appropriated $721 million for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) and community college programs.

Rauner added that despite its constitutional obligation to balance the budget, the General Assembly has not put forward a plan to pay for these programs, whether through spending reductions, revenue, or cost-saving reforms. The Governor’s Office of Management and Budget concluded that Senate Bill 2043 would have added $721 million to the State’s budget deficit.

Rauner also mentioned that House Bill 4539 and Senate Bill 2349 would appropriate $1.6 billion for higher education programs, while Senate Bill 2789 would authorize the Governor, Comptroller, and Treasurer to identify and implement funding by reallocating funds and reducing spending in other areas. Rauner noted that together these bills would fund MAP, community college programs, and public universities without exploding the deficit or exacerbating the State’s cash flow crisis. Rauner concluded it is a far more fiscally responsible and constitutional plan for funding higher education.