The Illinois Senate agrees to give the states’ colleges and universities more money as another day drags by without a state budget. A $454 million stopgap was approved by near unanimous consent and moved to the House.

The bill is a far cry from perfect legislation; once again it raids other funds with money in them to pay for something else. But higher ed supporters have been clamoring for funding for months and Chicago State has laid off 300 people. Senator Dale Righter a Republican from Mattoon says this legislation is evidence lawmakers can work together.

Including the $600 million approved and appropriated from the last education rescue plan passed in April, the total amount would get schools to just 60 percent of what they were counting on at the start of the FY 16 budget year.