SPRINGFIELD, IL… State Representative Brandun Schweizer (R-Danville) passed his first bill of the 104th General Assembly out of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
His bill, HB 2572, is an initiative of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs to amend the School Code and the Deceased, Disabled, and MIA/POW Veterans’ Dependents Educational Opportunity Grant Act and Scholarship by adding rulemaking authority when determining grant and scholarship eligibility.
The legislation came after the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules Committee (JCAR), which is a bi-partisan, bi-cameral legislative oversight committee, noted that the Department had the ability to direct and run the grant and scholarship program, but had no rulemaking authority. As the law currently stands, the Department can run the program but cannot make any rules about how it operates.
“This bill works to clean up the preexisting law that does not properly delegate authority to an agency charged with reviewing applications and distributing scholarships and grants to students,” said Rep. Schweizer. “Rulemaking is essential to state agencies, and I am happy to carry the bill for the Department of Veterans Affairs as they continue to provide great scholarship and grant opportunities for students of veterans and active service members. I want to thank my colleagues for seeing the need for this legislation and allowing it pass out of committee.”
To follow the bill’s progress, visit ilga.gov. With questions regarding the legislation, please reach out to Rep. Schweizer’s office at (217) 477-0104 or by visiting RepSchweizer.com.
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