A new Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant proposal is stirring up controversy in the General Assembly. House Bill 2691 would expand eligibility for MAP grants to illegal or undocumented immigrants along with those who fail to register for selective service.

According to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, expanding the pool of MAP grant recipients to include these groups could increase the cost of the program by $9 million per year. Because MAP grant recipients are determined both by need and available funding, increasing the number of eligible students could end up causing legal Illinois students to lose their funding.

The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 35 to 15 and is now headed to the Governor’s Office.