News

With just over three weeks remaining in the 2016 spring legislative session, Illinois has entered its eleventh month without a state budget. However, recent action in the Senate to advance bipartisan budget measures for higher education and social service providers have some lawmakers hopeful a timely resolution to the impasse is possible. While a majority of Senate lawmakers were able

SPRINGFIELD – State Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) voted May 5 to bring all higher education funding up to the same level that Democrat leaders had previously pushed through for just one Chicago-area university.                      “All of our universities and colleges are just as important as Chicago State University,” said Sen. Syverson. “This is a major win that we were able to

SPRINGFIELD – Positive progress continued this week when Gov. Bruce Rauner signed into law an appropriations bill that funds higher education and MAP grants for college students through September. State Senator Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) indicated this is a positive sign of bipartisan compromise, and is a step in the right direction. Also this week, it is now up to the

SPRINGFIELD –  The Senate unanimously advanced on April 22 two bipartisan measures to bridge funding for higher education and critical human services. While Senate Republican lawmakers noted the proposals aren’t perfect solutions, they stressed the legislation includes the money necessary to finance the spending—a “reset” in budgeting that is much-needed in Illinois. The need for institutional reforms in Illinois was

“It is vastly important that we keep all of our colleges and universities open, and this bill (SB2059) accomplishes that for now, as well as helping low-income students stay in school by funding MAP grants,” said State Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford), who supported the measure. “However, I’m deeply disappointed that the final legislation sends a vastly disproportionate amount of money

SPRINGFIELD – During fiscal 2014, former Governor Quinn’s administration overpaid by $168 million to local governments and schools in Personal Property Replacement Tax fund (PPRT) disbursements, according to data recently turned up by the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR). State Senator Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) is questioning whether the overpayments were an accident. The overpayments included more than $23 million to

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) says Illinois Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger made the right move by putting lawmaker and constitutional officer salaries at the back of the payment line. “It isn’t fair for state vendors and social service programs to be waiting months for payment while lawmakers were paid on time every month,” Sen. Syverson said. “We shouldn’t

It was Groundhog Day in the Illinois Senate this week, as Illinois Democrats pushed through yet another hollow promise, once again approving a spending plan without the funding to cover it. The Democrats’ newest proposal promises nearly $4 billion to human service providers and higher education, but fails to identify a way to pay for the spending. Also this week,

SPRINGFIELD, IL – As the House of Representatives continues its month-long vacation, Illinois became the only state in the nation without a state budget.  Now, as Illinois begins its 10th month of a budget stalemate, lawmakers will return to Springfield April 4 to begin the final two months of the 2016 spring legislative session.  Senate Republicans have continued to put

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) says the 2016 celebration of the state’s annual “Cheap Trick Day” on April 1st sets the stage for even bigger success for the legendary band. The band is releasing their newest album, “Bang, Zoom, Crazy…Hello” and performing live at the Metro in Chicago on April 1st. Just one week later on April 8th,