HR0169 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0169 LRB101 11468 ALS 57185 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, United States Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos recently proposed a plan to provide $5 billion a year in federal tax credits for donations made to groups offering scholarships for private schools, apprenticeships, and other educational programs; and

WHEREAS, The Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act would provide a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for individuals and businesses that donate in an effort to provide scholarships so that children and their families can make education decisions that are best for each child; and

WHEREAS, Secretary DeVos called the plan to give students more educational choices without diverting money away from public schools a "bold proposal"; and

WHEREAS, In 2017, the Illinois General Assembly reached bipartisan agreement to implement the Evidence-Based Funding for Student Access Act, which dramatically changed the way Illinois funds education; and

WHEREAS, Included in the bipartisan compromise was the Invest in Kids Act, which established a tax credit for individuals and businesses that make a contribution to a scholarship-granting organization, so that low-income students across the State are allowed to attend a school of their choice; and

WHEREAS, While the Invest in Kids Act is a five-year pilot program, Governor Pritzker's Administration has indicated they plan to end the Invest in Kids program as soon as possible; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the United States Congress to approve the Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act, so that children and their families are able to make decisions about education that are most beneficial; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge Governor Pritzker to allow the Invest in Kids Act to be in full effect for the five years of the pilot program as intended by this General Assembly upon passage of the Evidence-Based Funding for Student Success Act; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to each member of the Illinois Congressional Delegation and to Governor JB Pritzker.