Legislative Scholarships May Survive in Illinois

Legislative scholarships in Illinois -- in which state lawmakers get to give out some funds for college to just about anyone in their districts -- have been the source of many scandals, and regular calls for their elimination. They continue, however, to survive. The Chicago Tribune reported that this year, Governor Pat Quinn, a Democrat, tried to kill the scholarships, by using his authority to extend legislation barring them from being awarded to lawmakers' relatives, to instead kill the entire program. But legislative leaders said that the governor went beyond his power, so they are refusing to go along with the plan to kill the program.