Quinn vetoes scholarship bill, says it won't stop lawmaker abuses

Posted by Monique Garcia

Gov. Pat Quinn today vetoed legislation that would restrict the controversial practice of state lawmakers handing out scholarships for state universities, saying the measure didn't go far enough to curb abuses.

In his veto message to lawmakers, Quinn said the proposal "fails to adopt the fundamental reforms that are necessary to bring transparency, competition and fairness to the General Assembly scholarship program."

The legislation would have banned House and Senate members from giving a scholarship to someone whose family could be linked to a campaign contribution within the previous five years. In addition, family members of a scholarship recipient could not give a campaign contribution to a lawmaker who distributed the award.