Illinois lawmakers pass $600M for struggling colleges

(AP) — Illinois lawmakers approved Friday a $600 million short-term funding fix for colleges and universities that have been struggling without state funding during the monthslong budget stalemate, a much-needed lifeline for institutions that have been laying off employees.

"By passing this bipartisan agreement, lawmakers in both chambers put aside political differences to provide emergency assistance for higher education, ensuring universities and community colleges remain open and low-income students can pay for school," Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly said in a statement.

"Time will tell if Governor Rauner has further intentions of destroying our state institutions and human service providers, or if he will begin working with us to craft a full-year budget that is not contingent on passage of his demands that will destroy the middle class," Madigan said in the statement.

A House Democrat who voted against it said he would've preferred a total fix to the budget and some of his colleagues wanted money for social service programs.