CHICAGO — Senate Majority Caucus Whip Iris Y. Martinez (D-Chicago) issued the following statement in response to Gov. Rauner’s veto of higher education funding, Senate Bill 2043:

Shame on the governor for once again demonstrating that he cares nothing about whether or not students in Illinois can afford to go to college. His inability to understand how his decisions are harming higher education in Illinois is appalling.

SPRINGFIELD — Senate Majority Caucus Whip Iris Y. Martinez (D-Chicago) issued the following statement in response to Gov. Rauner’s budget address:

It’s frustrating that the governor gave his budget speech for next year when there is no budget for this year. I’m committed to adequately funding K-12 education, but it’s hard to get past the fact that college students and state universities aren’t receiving state aid. You would think the governor’s priority would be getting us out of the budget impasse he created. Sadly, he doesn’t seem too concerned that Illinois doesn’t have a budget. I did not hear a path out of the budget impasse that will ensure college students and universities get aid immediately.

SPRINGFIELD — An undocumented University of Illinois student was recently prevented from running for the position of student trustee because he was unable to show that he was a registered voter in Illinois.

This occurred despite the fact that he was enrolled in the university and an Illinois resident.

“We need to be sure students aren’t discouraged from running to be a student trustee,” said Majority Caucus Whip Iris Y. Martinez. “A student who can prove they live in Illinois and wants to serve their fellow students and university should not be held back by requirements that are too rigid.”

The University of Illinois Trustee Act requires students to be residents of Illinois in order to be selected as a student trustee.

Residency is demonstrated by three factors:

•Evidence of the student’s residence in Illinois for at least the previous six months

•A valid Illinois driver’s license

•Being registered to vote in Illinois

However, under Martinez’s proposal, Senate Bill 2204, which she passed out of the Higher Education Committee today, a student would only have to meet one of the three factors to demonstrate Illinois residency.

“My proposal is a common sense solution that will help encourage more diverse representation on the University of Illinois’ Board of Trustees,” Martinez said.

The University of Illinois is a supporter of the initiative and will be working with Martinez to get it passed this session.

Majority Caucus Whip Iris Y. Martinez (D-Chicago) joined Secretary of State Jesse White, members of the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus and partner organizations this week to discuss a positive update being made by Secretary of State (SOS) facilities for Temporary Visitors Driver’s Licenses (TVDLs).

Starting July 1, 2016, all SOS facilities, with the exception of Chicago North and Chicago West, will be able to process TVDLs without requiring an appointment.

“I’m grateful to Secretary White and his staff for establishing more customer friendly procedures for immigrants wanting to obtain a TVDL,” said Martinez, a champion for the immigrant community. “Now, instead of having to go through the extra step of having to schedule a meeting, all someone has to do is come to an SOS office at a time that is convenient for them.”

In 2013, a law was approved that enabled undocumented immigrants in Illinois to obtain a TVDL.

Prior to the initiative, many undocumented immigrants were driving to places like school and work without having car insurance and being trained on the rules of the road.

Since then, SOS has issued 175,000 TVDLs, which has helped create safer roadways for all Illinoisans by ensuring that more drivers have passed road safety exams and are insured.

Anyone wanting more information on how to acquire a TVDL can go to SOS’s website or contact their local SOS Office.

Listen to Sen. Martinez's remarks at the press conference.