NEWS

From the Illinois State Senate

State Senator Michael Frerichs, 52nd Legislative District

For Immediate Release: Thursday, May 3, 2012 

Frerichs praises the passage of bill abolishing General Assembly scholarships

SPRINGFIELD, IL – State Senator Michael Frerichs (D – Champaign) joined his colleagues today in voting to abolish the General Assembly scholarship program which has gained attention in recent years as abuses in the program by legislators have come to light.

“I have been pushing this bill for the past three years and I am very happy to see my colleagues joining me today in ending this scandal-ridden program that has cost our taxpayers and our universities millions of dollars,” Frerichs said. “I am glad to see an end to this practice is in sight.”

Abolishing legislative scholarships has not been the only effort to eliminate wasteful and fraudulent spending that cost taxpayers money in recent years. For the past four years, the Senate has taken steps to rein in spending through shared sacrifices, such as cutting their pay, which would save nearly $1 million this year.

“Legislators have to prove to the people of Illinois that we are serious about reforming our state government,” Frerichs continued. “We understand the importance of shared sacrifice in solving our budget deficit.”

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After public hearings across Illinois to hear testimony from local officials, economic development experts, and business leaders, a measure sponsored by Senator Frerichs has passed through the Senate Special Committee on Enterprise Zone Extensions. The proposal now faces a vote from the full Senate.

“In our hearings, we found that enterprise zones have a solid reputation as the best way to create and maintain jobs and improve business in local communities. The officials and business leaders we heard testimony from had nothing but positive proof that the Enterprise Zones are essential to these areas and no one wants to see them expire.”

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Businesses in Illinois that wish to incorporate societal and environmental impacts in decision-making would gain new legal protections under a new bill sponsored by Senator Frerichs.

"This measure allows business executives to make decisions that may benefit the community or the environment and remove the risk of lawsuits for those decisions," Frerichs said. "Current law does not shield companies from certain litigation that may be brought about from a company making financial decisions with the consideration of outside stakeholders."

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