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Scholarships, Ethics Top Agenda at Veto Session
CHICAGO (AP) -- College scholarships and stronger ethics laws top the agenda as Illinois lawmakers return to the state Capitol.

Legislative leaders say they want to find money to provide scholarships next year through the Monetary Award Program, which was slashed because of state budget problems. That affects about 145,000 low-income students.

But there's no agreement yet on where to get the money. The options include raising cigarette taxes and offering amnesty to people who pay overdue taxes.

Lawmakers will also try again to pass a major ethics package. They approved one in the spring but ended up killing that version and working on a stronger one.

The major sticking point now is whether to limit campaign contributions by legislative leaders and political parties.

Legislators meet for three days this week and three days later in the month.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
10 13 09 by Newsroom
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