Legislative Highlights: Spring 2025

I’m excited to share that a bill I co-sponsored, HB3522, aimed at reducing barriers to higher education, has passed and is expected to be signed by Governor Pritzker. This is intended to create a direct admissions program for academically-qualified high school seniors and community college transfer students. Admissions standards would be set by universities, and eligible students would be automatically notified of their guaranteed acceptance and have their application fees waived. Participating universities include:

• Chicago State University

• Eastern Illinois University

• Governors State University

• Illinois State University

• Northeastern Illinois University

• Northern Illinois University

• Southern Illinois University

• University of Illinois Springfield

• Western Illinois University

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and University of Illinois Chicago are not included in the guaranteed direct admission aspect of the measure, but the institutions will collaborate with the Illinois Student Assistance Commission and the State Board of Education on an outreach program to connect with and encourage qualified students to apply.

Students entering college for the 2027-28 academic year will be the first to benefit.