As Illinois lawmakers start the final push toward the scheduled May 31 adjournment, the Senate voted to eliminate the General Assembly Scholarship Program, and advanced a Constitutional amendment that would make it more difficult for lawmakers to increase employee pension benefits in the future.

Also during the week, the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA) issued its opinion on Governor Pat Quinn’s proposed closure of several state facilities, and Senate Republican lawmakers and the Illinois Policy Institute highlighted the need for greater fiscal transparency at the local level.

Lawmakers are one step closer to eliminating the scandal-plagued General Assembly tuition waiver program. On May 3, the Senate approved House Bill 3810, which would end the controversial program. The measure now returns to the House of Representatives for approval of a change made to the original bill, which creates a Tuition and Fee Waiver Task Force to review the use of tuition and fee waivers at Illinois’ public universities.

Students from Lena-Winslow Elementary School display their project during TECH 2012, a demonstration of school technology May 2 in the State Capitol.

TECH 2012 is designed to show state leaders what skills will be needed for the Illinois work force and how technology can improve teaching and learning.

Seen here are (from left) Teacher Joanne Gallagher, Rachel Young, Lance Molitor and Teacher Kelli Huneke.

Legislation extending the use of Enterprise Zones won unanimous support in the state Senate April 26, capping off a busy week that also included a scathing audit of the state’s workers’ compensation program and a Comptroller’s report that Illinois is more than $9 billion behind in paying its bills.

During the week, lawmakers focused mainly on reviewing bills in committees so they can be voted on by the full Senate or House of Representatives.

The Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 3688, a bill that extends the Illinois Enterprise Zone program for an additional 25 years.  Since its inception the program has been credited with employment growth and economic development.

Medicaid and pension reforms took the spotlight at the State Capitol during the week.

Illinois’ Lottery program was also the focus of a media report that outlines what appear to be conflicts of interest between Governor Pat Quinn and the group awarded a 10-year contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars to oversee the Lottery program.

Lawmakers returned to Springfield April 17 to kick off the seven-week stretch to the scheduled end of the spring 2012 legislative session. Having spent the first portion of the spring session focused on Senate bills, Senate Committees began considering legislation introduced by House lawmakers.