Senator Cunningham fights for Chicago police and firefighters

Higher education reform package goes into effect January 1

• higher education
• Reform
• 2016

CHICAGO— When a succession of Illinois public college and university presidents were paid excessive severance packages after being forced from office, State Senator Bill Cunningham knew something had to change.
 
Senator Cunningham proposed a package of reforms, that go into effect on January 1, which would make the hiring and firing process of college chief administrators more transparent and fair to both taxpayers and tuition payers. One new law includes a proposal that would not allow car and housing allowances to be considered pensionable income.
 
“This reform package takes proactive steps to ensure college presidents are offered reasonable compensation that does not burden the taxpayers and the students who pay their salaries,” Cunningham said. “We have to ensure that tuition is not used to support administrative bloat at state universities and community colleges.”
 
Among other provisions of the new laws is a cap on severance payouts and a ban on lame duck community college boards from approving a new contract for a president.

New law opens access for students in agriculture education

• Agriculture Education
• 2016
• SB2975

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois agriculture education will be receiving a boost thanks to measure pushed by State Senator Bill Cunningham that goes into effect on January 1, 2017.

The legislation, Senate Bill 2975, will add agriculture education as an area of identified staff shortage, which would make additional scholarship money available for those who want to go into agriculture education.

“There is a shortage of qualified agriculture education teachers in Illinois,” Cunningham said. “As a result, fewer students are receiving science and business-based instruction that could prepare them for the growing number of jobs available in agriculture.

Cunningham pointed to a recent Purdue University study that found nearly 58,000 jobs will open annually across the United States in occupations involving food, agriculture, and natural resources over the next five years, but colleges and universities are not training enough students to qualify for those jobs.

Cunningham votes to support Chicago Public Schools

• SB2822
• Chicago Public Schools
• Pension Parity

SPRINGFIELD – Senator Bill Cunningham voted to override the governor’s veto of Senate Bill 2822, legislation designed to provide equal funding to the Chicago Public Schools teachers' pension fund.

“Governor Rauner refuses to provide the same level of state financial support to Chicago Public Schools that is provided to every other school district in the state," Cunningham said. “If his veto stands, CPS will be forced to lay off teachers and Chicago's students will be forced to pay the price.”

Senate Bill 2822 would provide pension parity between the Chicago Public Schools and every other school system throughout the state. Currently, the state only picks up a small percentage of CPS’ pension payment, while paying the full cost for all other school districts.

“We need to support all public school systems throughout the state and that includes Chicago Public Schools,” Cunningham said.

The Senate voted to override the governor’s veto and the legislation now moves to the House for further consideration.