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Recipients' names were kept secret for years, but that changed after journalists uncovered some of the winners had political connections. Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline, said he voted to kill the program, but called it a "hollow victory." "I voted for the measure because I think it was a distraction, but I wasn't pleased with my vote," Jacobs said. "I'm not happy with it. All I saw today is that eight kids in my district were going to lose scholarships." David Morrison, deputy director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, said not every legislator has treated it as a true scholarship, but he's sorry to see students lose out. ICPR does not have an official position on the legislative waivers. The measure to end the waivers also created a task force to examine other tuition waivers to state schools. Morrison said he hope the task force will establish clear criteria for other public university waivers. The legislators' awards are just one category in the $415 million tuition waivers that Illinois universities absorb. Sen. Michael Frerichs, D-Champaign, had sponsored measures to end the program the last three years. He said the waivers actually hurt other students, who pay higher tuition to make for those getting the free ride, and that without the waivers, there is less pressure to increase tuition. "It's a program that has been abused. Itt's a program that is not funded. It put great costs on our universities in the state of Illinois," Frerichs said. "It's a good day that we've finally done away with it." ___ The bill is
HB3810. ___ Online: http://www.ilga.gov/
[Associated
Press;
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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