“He basically picked a fight that no one else wanted to touch. The fact that he got it done in this political environment is nothing short of a miracle.” —Amy Ballinger-Cole, Advance Illinois

Over the past few years, Andy Manar has:
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Spearheaded a comprehensive reform of Illinois’ 20-year-old school funding formula, meaning our Downstate schools will receive millions more each year to fund our children’s education.
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Led Illinois in becoming one of the first states in the nation to automatically register voters when they turn 18, leading to a more active and engaged Democracy.
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Brought together Lewis and Clark Community College and the University of Illinois to establish a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program in Godfrey to address a critical shortage of nurses for area hospitals and healthcare providers and to give students an affordable path to a college degree. Area students will be able to earn a bachelors degree from the U of I while attending classes locally at LCCC in Godfrey.
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Joined with leaders on both sides of the aisle to craft and pass a balanced, bipartisan budget in which Andy restored money cut by Governor Bruce Rauner to important Downstate programs like county fairs, Soil & Water Conservation Districts, agriculture education, and vocational training.
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Included in the budget an additional $350 million for primary and secondary schools as mandated in the evidence-based funding formula.
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Sought protections for independent, rural pharmacies and established “critical access rates” to guard against corporate greed within Illinois’ new Medicaid managed care program.
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Ensured the reinstatement of state payments to local governments which had gone without state dollars during Governor Rauner’s budget impasse.
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Unlocked funds to give every rural school in Illinois access to highspeed broadband internet.
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Increased merit-based funds for in-state Illinois university students with the AIM HIGH Grant Program, which assists middle- and low-income students attending universities in Illinois.
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Rejected a proposal by Governor Rauner which shifted pension costs onto local government.
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Pioneered a law that would allow retired teachers in Illinois to serve as substitutes for up to 120 days—combating the substitute teacher shortage.
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Sent a bill to the governor which would raise the minimum wage for teachers to $32,000 a year for the ’18-’19 school year.
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Exposed gross mismanagement by the Rauner administration wherein officials wastefully overspent on warehouse leases.