SPRINGFIELD, IL (Chambana Today) – One of Governor JB Pritzker’s key legislative proposals faced a setback this week when the chair of the House Higher Education Committee declined to call a vote on a bill designed to allow community colleges to offer four-year bachelor’s degree programs in high-demand fields.
The move came just ahead of a deadline today for most bills to pass out of committee. Lawmakers had to send them to the floor of their respective chambers, but the decision to delay action doesn’t necessarily signal the bill’s end, according to Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, who chairs the committee.
The bill, House Bill 3717, sponsored by Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl, D-Northbrook, aims to bring Pritzker’s vision to life. The governor called for expanding the role of community colleges to offer four-year degree programs in his State of the State address in February, hoping to make higher education more affordable and accessible, particularly for students in rural Illinois who may not have easy access to traditional four-year universities.
In his address, Pritzker emphasized, “With lower tuition rates and a greater presence across the state — especially in rural areas — community colleges provide the flexibility and affordability students need. This is a consumer-driven, student-centered proposal that will help fill the needs of regional employers in high-need sectors and create a pathway to stable, quality jobs for more Illinoisans.”
The bill would authorize community colleges to offer bachelor’s degree programs in certain fields, as long as the college’s board of trustees can demonstrate that the program addresses an “unmet workforce need” and has the necessary resources, expertise, and student demand. However, Stuart expressed concerns about how the bill might affect existing programs at four-year institutions. Specifically, she worried that it could undermine schools such as Northeastern Illinois University and Chicago State University, which primarily serve minority populations.
After the committee hearing, a coalition of university leaders, including those from Chicago State and NEIU, issued a statement expressing concerns that the legislation might duplicate efforts and increase costs. While expressing caution, they remained hopeful about finding a compromise.
A spokesman for Governor Pritzker indicated that there is still time to negotiate a version of the bill that could address concerns raised by lawmakers and universities.