Latest news with #HB3717
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Illinois senate leaders split on community college bachelor's degree plan
Two Democratic leaders in the Illinois Senate openly expressed their disagreement this week about Gov. JB Pritzker's proposal to allow community colleges to offer four-year bachelor's degree programs in certain high-demand employment fields. The exchange between Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford, of Westchester, and Sen. Cristina Castro, of Elgin, who chairs the powerful Senate Executive Committee, took place during a hearing on an unrelated bill that would overhaul the way Illinois funds public universities. But it offered a public view of the reasons why the baccalaureate proposal, which Pritzker touted in his budget address in February, has so far failed to advance in the General Assembly. Both the university funding proposal (Senate Bill 13 and House Bill 1581) and the community college proposal (HB 3717 and SB 2482) are intended to stem the spiraling cost to students and their families of obtaining a four-year college degree. The funding proposal calls for increasing state funding for universities to reduce their reliance on tuition and fees. The community college proposal is intended to make certain four-year degrees available through lower-cost institutions and more accessible to older, nontraditional students who don't live near a four-year institution. The university funding plan, sponsored by Lightford, was the subject of a Senate committee hearing Wednesday. The bill allowing community colleges to offer four-year baccalaureate degrees did not advance out of a House committee before a March 21 deadline. During Wednesday's hearing, Lightford appeared with a panel of university presidents from Chicago State, Western Illinois, Illinois State and Northern Illinois universities, and the Southern Illinois University System – all of whom support the funding proposal but oppose the community college baccalaureate plan. 'If we're thinking about students' basic needs, we also need to be thinking about the students that don't necessarily go to the four-year schools,' Castro said to the panel. 'If students are really the focus, why are you guys opposed to the (four)-year baccalaureate degrees?' 'I'd like to answer your question, madam chair, because I believe it has zero to do with what we're trying to accomplish here,' Lightford replied. She said the university funding proposal was the product of four years of negotiations that were intended to address a specific set of issues facing universities – namely, the adequacy and equity of their funding systems. The community college proposal, she argued, would draw students away from universities that are already struggling to maintain enrollment levels. 'Community college students need to stay at the two-year community college level, and then students who are going for a bachelor's degree should stay at the university level,' Lightford said. 'Because what happens is, when you begin to offer four-year programs at a two-year school, those students who would traditionally go to the four-year university, we'll lose those students to the community college level.' During the exchange with Castro, Lightford referred to the community college proposal as 'your bill,' even though Castro is not listed as a sponsor or cosponsor of the Senate version. Castro corrected Lightford, saying: 'To be fair, it is the governor's bill. This is one of his initiatives that he has been working on.' But Lightford said the governor 'doesn't push a button on the floor or in a committee.' 'I like the governor,' she said. 'He's probably my favorite. … But this isn't that bill.' Dan Mahony, president of the SIU System, added that he does not oppose the concept of community colleges offering bachelor's degrees, and said negotiations are continuing on that proposal. He said he wants to make sure the final plan 'doesn't pit our universities and community colleges against each other in a way that's unproductive and not good for taxpayers and not good for students.' 'We want to do something that actually is productive, and that's what we're working towards, and we'll continue to work towards,' he said
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Fighting opioids with psychedelics? Texas bill proposes new approach to fight crisis
AUSTIN, Texas (KETK) — Texas Rep. Cody Harris appeared before the House Public Health Committee on Monday afternoon to present HB 3717, which would help fund clinical trials for ibogaine, a psychedelic compound that could treat opioid addiction. 'Whoa, fentanyl?': High schoolers face opioid crisis in real time Through this bill, Harris aims to take on the addiction with a particular focus on veterans. According to the National Institutes of Health, drug overdose mortality rates among U.S. military veterans rose by 53% between 2010 and 2019. As opioid-related deaths continue to devastate families across the country, Harris said this legislation could be a crucial first step in offering new hope to those already battling the addiction. 'Funding a grant program for a ibogaine clinical trial isn't just a policy choice,' Harris said on Monday. 'It's a lifeline, a chance to pull our neighbors, our heroes and our loved ones back from the edge.' HB 3717 would establish a state-run grant program to support FDA-approved clinical trials for ibogaine. The Health and Human Services Commission would oversee the program and work with private companies that meet strict requirements including patient safety measures, FDA compliance and matching state funding. Harris' goal is to back credible research and eventually make ibogaine treatment accessible to Texans. 'Every one of us knows someone battling these challenges,' Harris said. 'That's why I'm proud to lead the charge on this bill. Texas must lead this charge with courage, compassion and a commitment to healing.' FDA approves painkiller designed to eliminate the risk of addiction associated with opioids During Monday's hearing, the representative cited a study conducted by Stanford University that found special ops military veterans on treatment with ibogaine immediately saw improvements in functioning, PTSD, depression and anxiety. 'Before treatment, the veterans had an average disability rating of 30.2 on the disability assessment scale, equivalent to mild to moderate disability. One month after treatment, that rating improved to 5.1, indicating no disability. Similarly, one month after treatment participants experienced average reductions of 88% in PTSD symptoms, 87% in depression symptoms and 81% in anxiety symptoms relative to how they were before ibogaine treatment. Formal cognitive testing also revealed improvements in participants' concentration, information processing, memory and impulsivity.' Stanford University Ibogaine could be their miracle, Harris said, as it gives another chance for a veteran battling PTSD or a 'mother watching her son slip away to fentanyl.' 'When we see suffering, we don't turn away one million Texans wrestling with opioid use disorder,' Harris said. 'Countless more carry the silent burdens of depression, anxiety and traumatic brain injury. Ibogaine could be their miracle. A chance to heal not just bodies, but souls.' If passed, the bill seeks to secure a $50 million grant, with the condition that any entity conducting the trials must match the state funding. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Forbes
02-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
University Of Illinois To Pilot New Community College Transfer Program
The University of Illinois system is planning to pilot a new program aimed at increasing transfer ... More rates by community college students. The University of Illinois system will team up with One Million Degrees, a Chicago-based nonprofit that supports community college students, to pilot a multiyear program aimed at increasing transfer rates from community colleges to four-year universities. The program will focus on first-generation students across Illinois. Plans call for the pilot to serve as many as 240 students initially in two cohorts from Illinois community colleges selected by the university. The first cohort will be recruited this fall for a pilot beginning spring 2026, and the second cohort will start in spring 2027. The initiative will provide eligible students a comprehensive suite of wraparound support services — including academic coaching, financial assistance and career advice — as they transfer to University of Illinois System campuses in Urbana-Champaign, Chicago and Springfield. The U of I system will evaluate the pilot to assess the possibility of later scaling the program beyond the initial pilot partners. The ultimate goal is to increase transfer and bachelor's degree completion rates, preparing the participants for careers in high-growth fields. 'We are highly motivated to build on the momentum that we've created with Illinois' community colleges, expanding opportunities for students to not only access higher education but to thrive in rewarding careers,' said Tim Killeen, president of the University of Illinois System, in a press release. 'Fulfilling the promise of college access and degree completion requires strong, accessible transfer pathways that connect Illinois' 48 public community colleges to our universities. This initiative will unlock opportunities that will fuel our state's workforce and economic future,' Killeen added. Like many other states, Illinois currently offers several transfer options, but historically the community college to four-year pathway has not proven to be as successful as hoped. Nationally, 81% of students who enter community college point to a bachelor's degree as their goal; however, only 31% ultimately transfer to a four-year institution. The timing of the pilot comes at an interesting time. Expanding the reach of the state's community colleges has been an aim of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who announced in his February state-of-the-state budget address that he supported legislation that would authorize Illinois community colleges to offer selected four-year degrees in fields that address local needs. "By allowing our community colleges to offer baccalaureate degrees for in-demand career paths, we are making it easier and more affordable for students to advance their careers while strengthening our state's economy," Pritzker said at the time. That authorization is contained in HB 3717, which would amend the Public Community College Act and allow the board of trustees of a community college district to establish and offer a baccalaureate degree program if certain conditions are met. But that bill has hit snags in the state legislature, primarily in the form of resistance from four-year institutions who view it as an encroachment on their territory and a threat to their efforts to maintain enrollment numbers in a highly competitive environment. The U of I system's effort offers an alternative strategy — providing a comprehensive set of services that it hopes will help community college students transition smoothly into existing degree programs at four-year institutions rather than creating new baccalaureate degrees. "Transferring from community college to a four-year university is one of the most powerful strategies we know for advancing multigenerational upward mobility. But we cannot allow these pathways to become bridges to nowhere for the students who make the leap to transfer — or even enroll and complete — without progressing into a career that fully capitalizes on their unique talents and abilities,' noted Josh Hoen, interim CEO of One Million Degrees, in a press statement.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Texas legislators propose a bill to alleviate the opioid crisis
PALESTINE, Texas (KETK) – An East Texas State legislator is pushing for a bill that would support veterans who are facing Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) 5-year-old hit by sedan in Carthage, officials investigating East Texas State Representative Cody Harris of Palestine has proposed HB 3717 which would provide $50 million in private and public funding for research into ibogaine-assisted therapy. The therapy focuses on working with veterans who are suffering from (OUD) or Substance Use Disorder (SUD) along with other neurological and mental health conditions. Harris spoke about how the bill could transform the lives of many veterans across the state by giving them a second chance through recovery from addiction. 'This bill puts Texas at the forefront of medical innovation and personal freedom by cutting through federal red tape and supporting life-saving research that could give our veterans and countless others a second chance. We can't afford to wait —Texas must lead the way,' Harris said. Click here to learn more about HB 3717 through the Texas Legislature online. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
