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Chicago Tribune: Proposal to drop entrance exam requirements at public universities advances in Illinois legislature
Big changes could be coming to admissions at public universities in Illinois after two expansive bills cleared the state Senate Higher Education Committee in recent days.
The two pieces of legislation aim to make a degree more accessible: The first would allow residents to apply to any of the state’s 12 public universities without submitting SAT or ACT scores, while the other would guarantee well-performing community college students a spot at the University of Illinois.
The Center Square: Lingering ethics reform packages don’t give Illinois Legislative Inspector General independence
The Illinois Senate adjourned for the week without passing onto the House a bill to bring about ethics reforms, but work continues. One thing left out of the package is giving the Legislative Inspector General independence to investigate claims of wrongdoing brought against lawmakers.
State Rep. Kelly Burke, D-Evergreen Park, said the package of reforms in Senate Bill 4 addresses lobbyist registration, a revolving door prohibition and statements of economic interest.
State Journal-Register: Legislator pushes to bring Black, Hispanic and women into the legal marijuana industry
Seeking to diversify an industry dominated by wealthy white people, a Chicago lawmaker says he will introduce legislation early next week that would put a “laser focus” on social equity for 110 new recreational cannabis dispensary licenses.
State Rep. LaShawn Ford said he has negotiated details of the legislation with Gov. JB Pritzker on behalf of potential minority owners as the first major adjustment to the state law that in January 2020 allowed the cultivation and sale of recreational marijuana to people 21 and older in Illinois.