Rock Island State Representative Mike Halpin is looking forward to seeing the results of a couple of new laws. He supported several the bills that passed during the latest legislative session.
The Illinois General Assembly approved a plan to stabilize grants for college students under the Monetary Award Program.
Representative Halpin says they're known as MAP grants, and students must go through a lengthy application process every year. The new program allows students to qualify once for four years. And they'll get preference as long as they continue to meet eligibility requirements.
Another bill Halpin supported is to expand the historic tax credit to the entire state. Only developers of historic properties in Peoria, Rockford, Aurora, East St. Louis, and Elgin have been able to take advantage the program. And preference will go to areas of Illinois that border other states, such as Rock Island County.
A division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources will give developers a 25% income tax credit for certain construction costs. Of course, the properties must qualify as historic structures. And each project will have a cap of three million dollars.
Halpin says the tax credit won't be available to the entire state until next year.
